Syracuse parent nov

NOVEMBER 2014

‘Dasher’s Magical Gift’

Safe and sound

Loss brings purpose to one grieving family

Light up the season!

Page 14

family

FYI

some helpful information for your family

‘Dasher’s Magical Gift’ tickets holiday magic. This new production is sure to be a delight for kids and parents alike, and will become a new holiday classic in Central New York.

The story It’s a few days before the big day and everyone in Santa’s workshop is buzzing with excitement about the biggest Christmas ever!

Presents are being made, Santa is checking his list, and the

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With “Dasher’s Magical Gift,” CNY Arts continues its 35-year-long tradition of providing an educational and affordable production filled with colorful characters, ample doses of humor and holiday magic for children and families. This is an all-new production set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13.

Additional school performances will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 10 and 11 and 10 a.m. and noon Friday, Dec. 12. All performances are in the Crouse Hinds Theater at the Civic Center, 411 Montgomery St. in Syracuse. Visit cnyarts.org for more information.

With direction and choreography by Larry Crabtree, story by Matt Chiorini, costume design

by Lindsey Quay Sikes, lighting design by John Czajkowski, additional costumes by Catherine Kingsley and performed by students from Dance Centre North, “Dasher’s Magical Gift” features a colorful cast of characters, beautiful ballet and music, ample doses of humor and heart, and some high-flying

s now on sale

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reindeer are warming up and getting ready for the big flight. Plus, with more kids on the Nice List than ever before, Santa has announced that he is going to choose an extra reindeer to help pull the sleigh. But the biggest excitement of all is the imminent arrival of Dasher, leader of Santa’s sleigh team and fastest of them all – the biggest star of Christmas! Everyone is excited to see him and no one is more excited than his number one reindeer fan, Peppermint (her friends call her Pepper), who is hoping to get his autograph.

Unfortunately, Dasher has a secret problem - he has lost his ability to fly! As Christmas approaches and everyone is counting on him to lead the way, it looks like he doesn’t have enough Christmas spirit to guide the sleigh.

The situation goes from bad to worse and it looks like Christmas may be cancelled, but with the help of Pepper and a couple of very lost penguins, Dasher will remember what the holiday season is all about and the spirit of Christmas will prevail.

meals in minutes

fast and easy meals to get your family to the table on time

gameday recipes

Whatever the sport, wow them with these snacks Slow-cooked goodness

Buffalo wing pulled chicken subs Makes 12 subs

Ingredients

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3 cups (24 ounces) bottled buffalo wing sauce One package dry ranch salad dressing mix 4 tablespoons butter Blue cheese or ranch dressing 12 sub rolls

Directions Put the chicken breasts into a slow cooker and add the wing sauce and ranch dressing mix. Cover, cook on Low six to seven hours.

After cooking, add the butter and shred the meat finely with two forks. Put the meat on the rolls; add a dollop of ranch, blue cheese dressing or added wing sauce for heat.

make ahead

(You should be able to enjoy the game, too!)

a new take on a classic

Pizza dip

Ingredients

1 eight-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup pizza sauce 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper tortilla chips

Directions

Combine cream cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder; spread on the bottom of a greased nine-inch pie plate. Combine cheeses; sprinkle half over the cream cheese layer. Top with the pizza sauce and peppers.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.

Cover with foil; refrigerate until half an hour before party starts. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve warm with tortilla chips or breadsticks.

From tasteofhome.com

Don’t forget dessert!

Sometimes the best recipes are do-it-yourselfstyle. Set up a sundae bar by buying basic ice cream flavors - chocolate and vanilla - then fill bowls with topping such as nuts, candies, berries, crushed candy bars and sprinkles. Add jars of your favorite ice cream sauces and a can of whipped cream and your job as chef is done!

what’s inside

family FYI

pay it forward

2 ‘Dasher’s Magical Gift’ 10 Piecing it all together 17 Visions of gingerbread at the

7 The gift of freedom 13 The importance of service for college bound students

calendar

Erie Canal Village

safety zone

8 What’s happening around you 14 Light up the season

5 Safe and sound

meals in minutes 4 Gameday recipes

healthy family 15

from the editor 6

contents

Loosening the apron strings, but still feeling the tug of those little hands

Everyone wins

learning curve 19 Giving thanks

the best ways to play while keeping danger away

safety zone

Safe and sound Loss brings purpose to one grieving family

By Jennifer Wing

From an unbearable loss, one grandmother found a purpose: To help prevent the tragedy that happened to her granddaughter from happening within another family.

Safe and Sound with Amaya is a local not-for-profit organization founded after the preventable death of Deborah Deming’s two-year-old granddaughter, Amaya Lynne Beaudreault. She was killed in her Syracuse home on Sept.

11, 2012, when she stepped on the drawer of a cabinet which held a television. The cabinet tipped, causing the TV to fall on top of Amaya, killing her instantly.

“Shortly after her death, we realized that not only were we not the only family to experience such a

horror, but that over 25,000 kids every year are seen in the ER with tipping related injuries,” Deming said. “Many of these injuries are lifelong traumatic brain injuries. Every two weeks, a child is killed from an unsecured TV or piece of furniture. And every single one of these is 100 percent preventable.”

So Deming started a foundation in her memory to help teach and reinforce to parents, grandparents and caretakers how to prevent unintentional injuries and deaths to children inside the home. Safe and Sound with Amaya also offers free anti-tip furniture straps.

“To date, we’ve distributed over 16,000 [anti-tip furniture straps],” Deming said.

“We are members of SafeKids Upstate NY at Golisano Children’s Hospital, and work Continued on page 9

NOVEMBER 2014 SYRACUSE PARENT

5

from the editor

Loosening the apron strings, but still feeling the tug of those little hands When my kids were little I had a lot of anxiety about their safety. I spent a lot of time childproofing my home, including putting in outlet protectors and making sure that doorways to stairs had barriers.

I always double-checked that the kids were in the house before I backed out of my driveway. I grabbed their little hands as we walked through parking lots and crossed the road. I made sure that their food was cut up small enough that it was not a choking hazard. After bedtime, I would go into their rooms a couple times a night to make sure they were ok.

Although I did all of these things, I realized that there are a lot of things for which you can’t prepare.

Accidents are just that – incidents where you have a set of variables that were not planned.

Unfortunately, sometimes these accidents can lead to tragedy, as with Amaya, a two-year-old Syracuse toddler who lost her life due to a tragic accident. In hindsight, we tend to realize that sometimes accidents, and tragedies, could have been prevented. It is with this in mind that Amaya’s Jennifer Wing grandmother is reaching out to others through Safe Editor and Sound with Amaya (see story, page 5.)

Deborah Deming wants to make sure that no other grandmother will experience the anguish of losing a precious grandchild. Hopefully, organizations like Safe and Sound with Amaya can help educate parents, grandparents and caregivers about potential hazards and inform them of ways to help keep the kids in their care safe.

As my children get older, I realize I can’t hold their hand as they cross the street, they no longer want me to cut up their meat for dinner and I cannot be with them in the same way that I was when they were small. All I can hope is that I have instilled in them a measure of caution, of thinking twice before they do something that could have bad consequences. I want them to be able to experience new things and live life without fear, but at the same time I hope they make good choices.

It’s easier to keep track of them because they have cell phones but it’s more difficult at the same time because they have a wider range of freedom.

They also have opinions of how much freedom they can handle; In my opinion their estimation is too high. I know it’s time to loosen the apron strings, however I can still feel the tug of their little hands as we walk into the grocery store and, no matter how old they get, I will always try leading them in a safe direction. I know they’re going to make mistakes, that’s not the issue. The possible consequences of those mistakes are what frighten me.

Looking back on my own childhood and adolescence I know that sometimes I made some decisions that could have had bad results but, fortunately, did not. Although it scares me to think of my children out in the big world without my guiding hand, I know it’s a part of growing up and I’m very proud of the young adults they are becoming.

Stay up-to-date with us on Twitter, @SYRparent and at facebook.com/ SyracuseParentMagazine.

Jennifer Wing can be reached at jwing@eaglenewsonline.com.

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SYRACUSE PARENT NOVEMBER 2014

publisher

David B. Tyler 434-8889 ext. 302 dtyler@eaglenewsonline.com

editor

Jennifer Wing 434-8889 ext. 340 jwing@eaglenewsonline.com

associate editor

Alyssa LaFaro 434-8889 ext. 306

ad sales

Linda Jabbour 434-8889 ext. 304 ljabbour@eaglenewsonline.com

business manager

Lisa Congdon

434-8889 ext. 303 lcongdon@eaglenewsonline.com

circulation manager

Lori Newcomb

434-8889 ext. 333 lnewcomb@eaglenewsonline.com

creative director

Sean Haney

434-8889 ext. 331 art@eaglenewsonline.com

We want your news! Contributions can be sent to Jen Wing, Editor, Syracuse Parent Magazine, 2501 James Street, Suite 100 Syracuse, New York 13206. Original contributions become the property of Syracuse Parent Magazine. Contributions cannot be acknowledged or returned. To contact us please call 315.434.8889, or fax 315.434.8883 Syracuse Parent Magazine is a unit of Community Media Group LLC. Published monthly. Deadline for advertising and calendar events is the 10th day of the month preceding publication. Display advertising rates available upon request. Syracuse Parent Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. We do not guarantee any of the information, services, or products published in this or any issue. The opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this paper. Copyright © 2008 by Syracuse Parent Magazine. No portion of Syracuse Parent Magazine may be reproduced without permission from the editor.

helping your community has never been easier

pay it forward

The gift of freedom “A bicycle is a ticket to freedom.” Jan Maloff’s sentiment comes from a childhood spent in the ’60s, when he’d ride his bike back and forth from his house near Lemoyne College to Charles Andrews Elementary School. Along the way, he’d pass Elmcrest Children’s Center, which, today, offers residential and community-based services to families and children in need.

“There were probably 100 kids — mainly boys — housed in these cottages up there, and after school, some of my friends and I would stay around and let them ride our bicycles because they didn’t have many. I think there were maybe one or two bikes available for all 100 kids.”

Young and idealistic at the time, Maloff thought to himself, If I ever become rich, I can give every kid a bike. “I never became rich,” he admitted, “but I try to give away as many bikes as I can.”

Each year, Maloff — who is the funeral director at A. Dewitt Memorial Funeral Homes on South Salina Street — successfully doles out anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 bikes.

Most of them are given away one week before Christmas at the CNY Family Bike Giveaway held at Fowler High School. The giveaway began almost two decades ago at a car detailing garage near St. Joseph’s Hospital. “The first year, I had 125 bikes to give away. I called Channel 9 news and the local paper, and told them what I was doing and when I was going to do it. When I arrived at the garage that morning, there was a line around the block. After 20 minutes we were completely out of bicycles. So, I put a plea out to the media, and within 10 days I had another 175 bicycles ready to give away. It set the tone for what the future would bring.”

As the amount of bikes Maloff collected each year grew, he

knew he couldn’t do it all on his own. That’s when retired insurance agent Will DeSain stepped in. “He makes sure we have enough volunteers to help,” said Maloff. Now, each November, the New York State Fair’s Center of Progress bursts to life as community members drop off old bicycles. On any given day, 10 to 15 volunteers will be there pumping up tires, changing tubes and brake cables, and making any other necessary repairs.

Then, with Stephanie Miner’s blessing and a helping hand from the department of public works, the 2,500-plus bikes are transported to Fowler High School. “Using the school as a giveaway site helps us get people out of the weather and into a hallway, where we allow groups of people to come in and select a bicycle. It’s interesting because it’s usually a pretty nasty day with snow, yet you’ll see kids riding away from the school on bicycles.”

Maloff also gives a handful of bikes away during the summer, and has a fully equipped utility trailer that he uses for onsite bike repair. He can be seen often driving around the south and west sides of town, offering bike repair services.

“It’s important to note that I could not do this unless I had a community of volunteers,” said Maloff, “a community that recognizes the program and donates bikes. If we didn’t have good people in this community, our program would not succeed.

“I, personally, have very fond memories of riding bikes with my dad,” he said, “and I hope this program can replicate that for thousands of years to come. I really feel that I’ve done something good; that I’ve given some kid somewhere joy. I feel that I have had a blessed life.”

For more information or to donate a bike, contact Jan Maloff at 315-446-7570.

BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL

3 year olds through 6th grade Elementary School Accredited by the Middle States Commission Offering Faith, Knowledge, Discipline, Morals, and Dividends for Life since 1931.

Providing your child with academic excellence in a positive and personal environment!

Tours available. Call for an appointment.

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by Alyssa LaFaro

3219 James Street • Syracuse, NY 13206 315-463-1261 • www.blessedsacramentschool.org NOVEMBER 2014 SYRACUSE PARENT

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calendar

Hercules

here is what’s happening around you

Saturday, Nov. 1

Candy Company

Syracuse University Orange Football

join us for our OPEN HOUSE Saturday, November 22

vs. North Carolina State University

Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., Syracuse; 888-DOMETIX or cuse.com.

On family weekend, come watch the Syracuse Orange’s Football team as they play against North Carolina State University.

- AND -

Saturday, November 29 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. • Watch us make Candy Canes by hand! • Register for FREE Prizes • FREE Cider & Cookies • FREE Candy Tastings

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 1-2 Beaver at Beaver Lake

2 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; onondagacountyparks.com, 638-2519.

Join a naturalist on a guided walk for an exploration of what the season has to offer. Each weekend guided walk features a different topic. Free with nature center admission.

Great New York State Model Train Fair 209 West Heman St. East Syracuse, NY

Hercules Candy Company

ďƒŚ

St. Matthew’s School

209 W. Heman St.

St. Matthew’s Church

Ellis St. W. Manlius St.

35586

Byrne Dairy

www.herculescandy.com

t #*35)%": 1"35*&4 t 13*7"5& 1"35*&4 t #64*/&44 1"35*&4

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Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10-6

Yates St. Silver St.

463-4339

SPECIAL RATES FOR:

t )PNF 4DIPPM (SPVQT t /BOOJFT %BZUJNF #BCZTJUUFST

Serving Lunches Daily!

OPEN ROCK & BOWLING Mon-Thurs BOWL 11am-Midnight

Friday & Saturday Night 9pm

Fri & Sat 11am-1am Sun noon-9pm

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

$BMM r XXX DB[TQPSUTCPXM DPN 3PVUF 5PXO $PVOUSZ 1MB[B $B[FOPWJB /:

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SYRACUSE PARENT NOVEMBER 2014

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday, Empire Expo CenterNYS Fairgrounds, 581 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse; 451-6551 or modeltrainfair. com.

The 40th Annual Great New York State Model Train Fair is one of the Northeast’s premier model train shows with 100-plus vendors and 30-plus operating layouts. Sponsored by CNY Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. Admission is $8 Adults (16 and up); children (15 and under) free.

Sunday, Nov. 2 Squishing of the Squash

10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Rosamond Gifford Zoo, 1 Conservation Place, Syracuse; rosamondgiffordzoo.org.

What happens to the pumpkins when Halloween is over? The squash get squished! Watch as animals throughout the zoo stomp, romp and chomp pumpkins of varying sizes. Free with zoo admission.

WWE Live

5 p.m., The Oncenter War Memorial Arena, 800 S. State St., Syracuse; oncenter.org.

Here is your chance to see your favorite WWE Superstars live in action: John Cena, Sheamus, WWE Tag Team Champions The USO’s, Money In The Bank Contract Winner Seth Rollins, Cesaro, The WWE Divas and many more of your favorite WWE Superstars. Lineup is subject to change. Tickets start at $15 and are available at ticketmaster.com, the Solvay Bank Box Office at The Oncenter (760 S. State Street), or charge-by-phone,800-745-3000.

Thursday, Nov. 6 Prime rib buffet

5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Highland Forest, 1254 Highland Forest Road, Fabius; onondagacountyparks.com.

Enjoy a buffet and a spectacular view from Skyline Lodge. Menu includes soup, salad bar, oven roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, pasta, meatballs and sausage and slow-roasted prime rib. Reservations recommended. Cost is $17.95; $8.95 ages 5-11; under 5 free.

calendar continued on page 12

For more information call 748-1015, email info@ safeandsoundwithamaya.org or visit safeandsoundwithamaya. org.

children to climb up and reach for them.

Safe and Sound with Amaya offers free anti-tip furniture straps (pictured below.)

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Follow these seven easy steps to safe and stable furniture in the home: 1. Select safer furniture with broad and stable bases rather than legs. Be particularly mindful of freestanding bookcases, television stands and chests of drawers.

2. Carefully test the furniture in the store to make sure it is stable. Pull out the top drawers of a chest of drawers and apply a little pressure to see how stable it is. Make sure that the drawers do not fall out easily.

3. Secure unstable furniture, such as bookcases and television stands, to the wall using angle braces or anchors screwed into wall studs. Secure any furniture unit that is higher than three feet.

4. Choose tables that will not tip if a child climbs on them.

Glass tables should be made of thick, toughened glass.

5. Use child resistant locks on all drawers to prevent children opening them and using them as steps.

6. Always discourage children from climbing on furniture.

7. Never place tempting items, such as feeding bottles, favorite toys or remote controls, on top of furniture. This encourages

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Continued from page 5 closely with Child Care Solutions and other agencies who share the mission of keeping kids safe.

Our message is an important one, and one that all parents of young children need to hear.

We even have volunteers who will go inside the home to assist in installation if needed.”

The organization’s website, safeandsoundwithamaya.org, offers tips and other information to help parents, grandparents and caregivers keep children safe in the home.

“Supervision is the best way to prevent injuries, in the home and out, but even the most watchful parents can’t keep kids completely out of harm’s way every second of the day,” the website states. “Safe and Sound with Amaya was started to help educate parents, grandparents and caregivers, with Sound Ideas for better supervision and Safe Planning for a more secure environment.

Prevention is key.”

NOVEMBER 2014 SYRACUSE PARENT

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family

FYI

some helpful information for your family

‘Piecing it all together’ during National Runaway Prevention Month

By Maureen Blaha, Executive Director of the National Runaway Safeline There are so many things that parents need to do to protect their children, and sometimes it comes down to protecting children from themselves and their life choices. Between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away in a year. If all of these young people lived in one city, it would be the fifth largest city in the United States.

Despite the numbers, it remains a silent crisis, but prevention is possible and help is available for youth and children who may be considering running away and their families that are going through this crisis.

That is a very important issue to think about this month because November is National Runaway Prevention Month. It’s a special time of year when we can join together to raise awareness of the runaway and homeless youth crisis in America and the issues that

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these young people face, as well as educate communities about solutions and the role they can play in ending youth homelessness. This year, the plan is to piece together all of the youth who need the help and all of the ways it can be done.

Prevention is key and it can start today. There are a handful of ways parents can help and one of those is to pay attention to signs that may indicate their child is considering running away.

Pay attention.

Listen when your child is talking with you. Don’t pretend you are listening while you are watching television, reading the paper, or using the computer. Children know the difference.

Discuss feelings.

When parents share their feelings, children know it is

file photo

SYRACUSE PARENT NOVEMBER 2014

safe to share their own. Talk about what it feels like to be a parent and encourage them to talk about their feelings.

Create responsibility.

Give your child choices, not orders. Help them understand the consequences of their actions. When punishments need to be administered, ask what they think would be appropriate. Make sure the punishment fits the “crime” and it is consistent with other actions you have taken.

Understand your child.

Try to sympathize with what your children are going through. Look at life – at least occasionally – from their point of view. Remember, when you were their age, your ideas seemed to make sense.

Often kids run away from home to remove themselves from an immediately painful

situation, but have no plans for what to do next. The National Runaway Safeline (NRS) is a resource for these youth and they can talk about their situation confidentially without fear of judgment.

On the other side of things, parents or family members who recognize there is a problem that may result in their child running away can also contact NRS for help. In 2013, NRS handled 17,024 calls and live chats in New York (222 calls from the 315 area code).

Through its free and confidential 1-800RUNAWAY hotline and 1800RUNAWAY.org online services, NRS provides support and access to resources 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Youth can also text the short code: 66008, to receive an automatic response featuring links to the hotline or live chat.

Additional resources for youth and parents include Booth House in Syracuse.

To learn more how you can get involved in NRPM, find more tips or get help, visit 1800RUNAWAY.org.

Maureen Blaha is the executive director of the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), an organization with the mission to keep America’s runaway, homeless and atrisk youth safe and off the streets. NRS makes more than 250,000 connections to help and hope through hotline, online and offline resources.

Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 11:00am

7138 Sutherland Dr. PO Box 535 Canastota, NY 13032

Purchase 4 or more and receive a $1 discount per ticket

(315) 697-2796 www.WanderersRest.org

humane association

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Visit cnyarts.org/ dasher for information on how you can help support Dasher’s Magical Gift through our Indiegogo campaign

Petco- 310 Northern Lights (Route 11), North Syracuse Pet Supplies Plus - 3196 Erie Blvd. E, Syracuse Pet Express - 6195 State Route 31, Cicero

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sign interpreted

Crouse Hinds Theater at the Civic Center 411 Montgomery St, Syracuse To order tickets By phone: (315) 435-2154 Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Online: www.cnyarts.org In person: Syracuse Opera Box Office Mon-Wed, 11am-2pm

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Please visit our offsite adoption centers & consider one of our adorable cats ready for adoption.

NOVEMBER 2014 SYRACUSE PARENT

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Save the date with Santa

calendar

A Holiday Pancake Breakfast with Santa wiill be held from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Dec. 6, at Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; 6382519.

here is what’s happening around you

Thursday, Nov. 6 Trail Tales

1 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; onondagacountyparks.com, 638-2519.

Perfect for pre-school aged children (3-5 years old), accompanied by an adult. A naturalist will first read two stories to the children and then lead the group out on a hike themed to match the stories. Free with nature center admission.

Friday, Nov. 7 Syracuse Crunch Ice Hockey vs. Norfolk Admirals

SewSyracuse Sewing Lessons Seamstress

Kids & Adults, Private or small group sewing lessons sewsyracuse@gmail.com 40415_5

315-427-1994

Staff on call 24 HOURS A day!

7 p.m., The Oncenter War Memorial Arena, 800 S. State St., Syracuse; syracusecrunch.com.

The Crunch take on the Norfolk Admirals at the War Memorial.

Saturday, Nov. 8 Syracuse Crunch Ice Hockey vs. Norfolk Admirals

7 p.m., The Oncenter War Memorial Arena, 800 S. State St., Syracuse; syracusecrunch.com.

The Crunch take on the Norfolk Admirals.

Syracuse University Men’s Football

Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave.,Syracuse; cuse.com.

On Senior Day the Syracuse Orangemen go up against the Duke Blue Devils.

Seventh Annual CNY Veterans Parade and Expo

Parade starts at noon, expo runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., NYS Fairgrounds; cnyveteransparade.org.

RetroGameCon

10 a.m. – 8 p.m., The Oncenter Convention Center, 800 South State St., Syracuse; retrogamecon.com. Admission is $5.

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 8-9 Birds That Stick Around

2 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; onondagacountyparks.com, 638-2519. Free with nature center admission.

Sunday, Nov. 9 “Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival”

1, 4 and 7 p.m. showtimes, OnCenter Civic Center Theaters, 800 South State St., Syracuse; oncenter.org. Mickey Mouse and friends rock the world with the stars from “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story” in their new touring show, “Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival.” Ticket prices vary.

Prenatal Consultation!

Tuesday, Nov. 11

LIVERPOOL

8086 Oswego Rd. Phone: 652-1070

Nature’s Little Explorers Adventure Camp: Forest Fairies!

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FREE

CAMILLUS

601 North Way Phone: 487-1541

10 a.m. – noon, Baltimore Woods Nature Center Inc., 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus; baltimorewoods.org. Cost is $20. Visit above website to register.

www.pediatricassociatesny.com

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SYRACUSE PARENT NOVEMBER 2014

calendar continued on page 14

helping your community has never been easier

pay it forward

The importance of service for college bound students and volunteerism is so popular on most campuses that the most-attended college clubs are service oriented.

Colleges want students who want to give back to their community. It is not a coincidence that one of the supplemental essay questions on many college applications is “How do plan to give back to your community?” or “What has been your most meaningful community service experience?” Admissions officers are not looking for the students who work at soup kitchens once or twice a year.

They are searching for those students who have truly found meaning in serving others.

Knowing this, how can we help our students? Make

service a priority in our schools and communities.

Some high schools actually integrate service into their curriculum, enabling students to begin volunteer work as early as freshman year and hopefully then developing a strong commitment to a cause.

If your school does not offer community service clubs and your town is limited in its youth volunteerism opportunities, then families need to get involved.

Like so many other lessons, our children learn by our example.

Maria Badami, MS, is a college advisor with College Directions of CNY, with offices in Fayetteville and Cazenovia. collegedirectioncny.com or call 243-6658.

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Parents often inquire about how they can get started on the college process earlier. Academic preparedness is just one of my answers.

Overlooked most often by student’s is commitment to volunteerism.

Over the past 20 years colleges have shifted their

missions from intellectual and skills growth to the development of ethical, engaged world citizens. Colleges have found that it is a win-win situation when students volunteer in their college’s communities, creating good will and improved town / gown relationships.

Students get a glimpse of the real world beyond the ivory towers, benefit from internship experiences and feel a strong connection to their community.

Community service

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by Maria Badami

NOVEMBER 2014 SYRACUSE PARENT

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Light up the season

Lights on the Lake runs nightly starting Nov. 14

Lights on the Lake is a two-mile-long drivethrough show featuring towering holiday displays will run nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 14 through Jan. 4. Featured in the show will be the “Land of Oz,” a twinkling fantasy forest, colorful section arches, a Victorian village, memorable animated scenes and a fairytale magic grand finale. As visitors drive through the show they can enjoy the sounds of the season on Sunny 102 until New Year’s Eve. Admission is $10 per car Monday through Thursday; show your Wegmans Shoppers Club Card for $4 off on Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is $15 per car on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 453-6712 or email olp@ongov.net.

calendar

here is what’s happening around you

Wednesday, Nov.12 Lights on the Lake Stroll

5 – 9 p.m., Onondaga Lake Park, 106 Lake Drive, Liverpool; lightsonthelake. com. Everyone is welcome to enjoy this special walking preview of Lights on the Lake before it opens to vehicles only. Walkers can cover as much of the two-mile stretch as they desire and should dress for the weather. Shuttle service is not provided. Holiday characters will be on the trail and refreshments will be available for sale. Suggested donation is $2 for adults.

Thursday, Nov. 13 Lights on the Lake Dog Walk

5 – 9 p.m., Onondaga Lake Park, 106 Lake Drive, Liverpool; lightsonthelake. com. Dogs (and their parents) are welcome to enjoy this special walking preview of Lights on the Lake before it opens to vehicles only. Suggested admission donation is $2 for adults.

Friday, Nov. 14 Syracuse Crunch Ice Hockey vs Hershey Bears

7 p.m., The Oncenter War Memorial Arena, 800 S. State St. Syracuse; syracusecrunch.com. The Crunch take on the Hershey Bears at the War Memorial. Ticket prices vary.

Friday – Sunday, Nov. 14 - 16 Holiday Shoppes

10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Holiday Shoppes, The Junior League of Syracuse Inc.’s three-day holiday marketplace, is known throughout Central New York as a must-see shopping destination. Holiday Shoppes attracts over 5,000 shoppers annually seeking our unique and distinctive selection of merchants offering “boutique shopping at its best.”

Saturday, Nov. 15 Highland Forest Open House

11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Highland Forest, 1254 Highland Forest Road, Fabius; onondagacountyparks.com. Discover “The Adirondacks of Central New York!” Join the staff at Highland Forest for their annual open house at the picturesque Skyline Lodge.

Saturday, Nov. 15 Dinomania 2014

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., the MOST. At 9:30 a.m. Linda Ivany of Syracuse University will discuss how dinosaurs became extinct as part of TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique. RSVP with the number of people attending to jrcafe@tacny. org by Nov. 13. Enjoy a trip to the past in the Orion motion simulator and rescue Space Dock from certain disaster by retrieving an energy crystal from the Capture the Crystal storage facility/laser maze. Orion motion simulator and Capture the Crystal laser maze attractions cost $2 each, and IMAX tickets cost up to $6.50 for members and up to $10 for nonmembers. Nonmembers can save up to $6 a person by buying a combo ticket, which includes exhibit admission and one IMAX movie. calendar continued on page 16

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tips and ideas for keeping your family fast, fit, and feeling great

Everyone wins Parents, student athletes and coaches benefit from partnership with local professionals

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, each year over 3.5 million children 14 and younger are treated for sports-related injuries, making injury prevention a priority among sports and health care industries. Therefore, it makes sense to have local physicians and other health professionals work with student athletes to prevent and treat injuries and raise awareness about smart sporting practices.

Team physicians join players on the sidelines, providing immediate treatment to injured athletes to mitigate damage.

“Working with local high schools is a priority for SOS,” comments Todd Battaglia, MD, SOS Sports Medicine. “As a community practice, we’re committed to educating and treating student athletes to keep them in the game for a lifetime.”

In addition, athletic training staff can give support to local schools. Athletic trainers (Ats) are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide services including injury prevention, emergency care, therapy and rehabilitation. ATs provide invaluable fulltime services, from pre-season through post-season, if necessary, to area high schools, educating coaches and athletes on safe practices, evaluating and treating injuries, rehab services and more.

“ATs support all high school sports, no matter the injury risk,” said Amy Jennings,

sports medicine coordinator for SOS Orthopedic and Sports Therapy and AT for Jamesville-Dewitt High School. “We’re there to prevent, recognize and manage injuries in student athletes.”

ATs play a vital role in communicating with parents, coaches, school administrators and physicians. They also certify coaches they work with in first aid, cardio pulmonary recuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use.

“We see the students at every practice and every game which allows us to know them well,” said Jennings. This personal relationship can help an AT assess changes in an athlete and address chronic issues such as tendonitis or acute injuries. “Parents and coaches also feel a higher level of comfort, knowing the AT has been following students’ history,” said Jennings.

Injuries that occur on the field and treated onsite include sprains, muscle strains, fractures and dislocations. When an injury occurs, an AT or physician will provide appropriate immediate care to stabilize the athlete. They then advise parents and coaches on the next steps depending on the severity – whether it be a visit to an emergency department, an after-hours orthopedic care center such as SOS Plus or a follow-up with a family physician.

ATs remain involved with athletes’ care throughout rehabilitation. “We stay with the student through the whole process, communicating with their physical therapists and physicians and, when cleared to return, we continue to guide them,” Jennings said.

healthy family

“High school sports should be a fun, enriching experience for students that keeps them healthy and fit and teaches teamwork and sportsmanship,” said Battaglia.

SOS Sports Medicine provides these guidelines for athletes, coaches and parents for safe play:  Participate in sport-specific training.  Engage in regular conditioning.

Injuries often occur when athletes suddenly increase duration, intensity or frequency of their activity.  Out-of-shape athletes should slowly build up to a higher fitness level.  Use proper technique for your position.  Use proper equipment, including the right shoes and safety gear.  Understand and follow the rules of the game.  Limit the number of sports played in one season. Athletes who play more than one sport are at risk for overuse injuries.  Take at least one day’s rest a week.  Only participate in age-appropriate sport activities.  Warm up properly before and after play.

SOS Sports Medicine has athletic training staff that supports eight area high schools. They are located at 5823 Widewaters Parkway in East Syracuse.

Visit their website at sosbones.com for more information.

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calendar

here is what’s happening around you

Saturday, Nov. 15 Wild Bird Feeders and Wintering Birds

10:30 a.m. – noon, Baltimore Woods Nature Center Inc., 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus; baltimorewoods.org. Learn how to make your backyard a bird oasis, identify common feeder birds and even participate in a fun citizen science program. $5 for members; $8 for nonmembers.

Call to register. 673-1350.

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 15-16 Geology

2 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; onondagacountyparks.com, 638-2519. Free with nature center admission.

Monday. Nov. 17 Star Party: Meteor Shower and Hello Fall Skies

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8 – 10 p.m. Baltimore Woods Nature Center Inc., Baltimore Woods Nature Center Inc., 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus; baltimorewoods.org. “Hello!” to the fall skies with the Leonid Meteor Shower and nice views of Uranus and Neptune. Back up date November 18th. $5 for members; $8 for nonmembers. Call to register 673-1350.

Friday, Nov. 21 Syracuse Silver Knights vs. Ontario Fury

7:30 p.m., Oncenter War Memorial Arena; 515 Montgomery St., Syracuse; syracusesilverknights.com. The Silver Knights soccer team takes on the Ontario Fury at the War Memorial.

Saturday, Nov. 22 Hercules Candies Open House

10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Hercules Candies, 209 West Heman St., East Syracuse; 463-4339, herculescandy.com. Free candy cane making tours and videos.

They will be making candy canes for the public to watch! Free candy samples, cider and cookies. Free prize drawings. Event is free.

Frozen Dome Classic: Syracuse Crunch vs. Utica Comets

7 p.m., Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., Syracuse; syracusecrunch.com.

The Crunch Take on the Utica Comets in the Frozen Dome - the first professional hockey game played in the historic Carrier Dome! Tickets available at ticketmaster.com, in person at the Syracuse Crunch Office, 800 S. State Street, Syracuse or at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), at any Ticketmaster Outlet or by calling 473-4444.

Nature Cards

10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Baltimore Woods Nature Center Inc., 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus; baltimorewoods.org. Create your own beautiful set of nature cards to share this holiday season. $7 for members; $10 for nonmembers. Call to register, 673-1350. calendar continued on page 18

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some helpful information for your family

family

FYI

Visions of gingerbread at the Erie Canal Museum Yum! The smell of Gingerbread is wafting through the Erie Canal Museum as the holiday season approaches.

With Central New York’s leaves changing colors and getting ever-so-close to that first snowflake falling from the sky, the Erie Canal Museum is preparing for the 29th annual Syracuse tradition. Celebrating 29 great years of helping our community celebrate the holiday season while showcasing the wonderful talents of so many local bakers is exciting. If you try really hard, you, too, will get a whiff of the most delicious aroma to ever please your senses.

During the holiday season in the early days of the Erie Canal Museum, the Weighlock Guild held annual exhibits and demonstrations featuring a variety of holiday traditions.

In 1985, the restoration of the Weighlock Building’s weigh chamber and construction of the Frank B. Thomson canal boat inspired a new holiday tradition at the museum. It was a celebration of architecture and historic preservation. The theme of the first Gingerbread Gallery was “Victorian Architecture,” and the gingerbread houses on display were replicas of the local landmark buildings.

“Gingerbread” referred not only to the building material, but also the Victorian gingerbread architectural detail.

Ever since that time, the museum’s second floor exhibit gallery has been transformed into an 1800s-era Victorian village, with gingerbread creations on display in storefront windows.

The houses are displayed and judged in various categories including “youth,” “group

or family,” “corporate” and “confectioners.” Local judges are selected to choose the very best of each category with ribbons and awards presented to the best of show. The judge’s range from professional bakers to TV anchors — and even the mayor, on occasion. What a lovely job it is to study and rank about 40 of these fantastic creations.

Amateur bakers, kids, seniors and pros must all follow the rules of the competition — simply that the entire entry must be edible. That’s right, edible. Not that you would want to eat one after it’s been on display for a few months.

But this one very simple rule brings out the most creative streak in our local residents as they use pasta for holding up the structure, graham crackers for walls, potatoes for animals, and food coloring to make the whole thing delectable and colorful. You would never guess how many types of candy and icing/fondant are used to build these awe-inspiring scenes.

When we say “gingerbread,” people often think of houses, but some of the most unusual entries have been things like Airstream trailers, scenes from the movie “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “The Wizard of Oz” tornado scene, the Onondaga County Court House, an Arabian castle, a sailing pirate ship, Crouse College, the White House, the Sherwood Inn, a cuckoo clock and even the Weighlock Building itself. There is no end to the creativity of our busy bakers, who have so much fun outdoing themselves each year for the amusement of so many.

through Jan. 4, 2015.

The entrance fee is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for children 12 and under. A grand opening complete with cookies and cocoa will follow the tree lighting in Clinton Square the evening of Nov. 28. Special holiday hours for the event are Sunday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is located at 318 Erie Blvd. East, and parking is free at the Visitors Center parking lot on Erie Boulevard.

For more information or directions, call 471-0593.

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by Diana Goodsight

The Gingerbread Gallery will be on display Nov. 21 NOVEMBER 2014 SYRACUSE PARENT

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here is what’s happening around you

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 22-23 Talking Turkey

2 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; onondagacountyparks.com, 638-2519. Each weekend guided walk features a different topic. Free with nature center admission.

Sunday, Nov. 23 Turkey O Orienteering Event

10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Highland Forest, 1254 Highland Forest Road, Fabius; cnyo.us.orienteering.org. Orienteering program for all skill levels and age groups. Prizes awarded. Cost is $8 per person; $3 addiitonal maps.

Tuesday, Nov. 25 Syracuse University: Men’s Basketball vs. Loyola

7 p.m., Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., Syracuse; suathletics.com. The Orange take on Loyola at the Dome. Ticket prices vary.

Friday, Nov. 28 Syracuse University: Men’s Basketball vs. Holy Cross

7 p.m., Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., Syracuse; suathletics.com. The Orange take on Holy cross at the Dome. Ticket prices vary.

Syracuse Crunch Ice Hockey vs. Binghamton Senators

7 p.m., The Oncenter War Memorial Arena, 800 S. State St. Syracuse; syracusecrunch.com.

The Crunch take on the Senators at the War Memorial. Ticket prices vary.

Saturday, Nov. 29 Family Train Day

10 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Commons, Burdick’s Driver’s Village, Circle Drive, Cicero. Family Train Day is a regular activity of the Central New York Large-Scale Railway Society Inc. There will be trains running on their large indoor layout, trains in loops on the floor, a play

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SYRACUSE PARENT NOVEMBER 2014

area, Thomas and much more and it’s free. There will be a raffle of a Polar Express train set.

Hercules Candies Open House

10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Hercules Candies, 209 West Heman St., East Syracuse; 463-4339, herculescandy.com.

Free candy cane making tours and videos. They will be making candy canes for the public to watch! Free candy samples, cider and cookies. Free prize drawings. Event is free.

Syracuse Silver Knights vs. Baltimore Blast

7 p.m., Oncenter War Memorial Arena; 515 Montgomery St., Syracuse; syracusesilverknights.com. The Silver Knights soccer team takes on the Baltimore Blast.

Saturdays, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 Polar Express Pajama Party

5:30 – 9 p.m. at the MOST. Bring your children in their pajamas to partake in movie-themed activities, including a visit with Santa. Then enter the Bristol IMAX Omnitheater for a showing of “The Polar Express.” Polar Express Pajama Parties cost $4 per person in addition to the cost of the IMAX ticket. For MOST members, IMAX tickets are $6.50 per adult and $5.50 per child under 12 and senior age 65-plus. For nonmembers, IMAX tickets cost $10 per adult and $8 per child and senior.

To make a reservation, call 425-9068, ext. 2132, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. But hurry! The parties are limited to 200 people, and they sell out quickly.

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 29-30 Wildlife Preparing for Winter

2 p.m., Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; onondagacountyparks. com, 638-2519. Each weekend guided walk features a different topic.

Free with nature center admission.

Syracuse Thanksgiving Antiques Show

Empire Expo Center-NYS Fairgrounds, 581 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse; allmanpromotions.com.

About 200 booths of antiques and collectibles fill the Center of Progress Building at The Empire Expo Center/ NYS Fairgrounds. A great place to collect or buy memorable gifts with a history and a future. Admission is $7.

learning curve

B er g a m o- M

oo

mo ve ther ’s perspecti

Really giving thanks

It’s the season of gratitude.

Giving thanks takes centerstage for the next 30 days.

Be it over a turkey or filling Facebook status updates - gratitude is where it’s at.

A couple months ago, a friend challenged me to post three things I was grateful for as my Facebook status.

I didn’t do it.

Honestly, I didn’t do it because I kept forgetting. So the other day I happened to remember and was going to publicly proclaim what I was grateful for ... except suddenly I didn’t want to.

I didn’t see the point because the top things I’m grateful for: my husband and son, aren’t on Facebook and wouldn’t see it.

Neither would a number of family members and friends that I’m thankful for - they don’t log on so what would be the point?

If thanks is given via social media and the intended doesn’t read it, does it still make a heartfelt sound?

Then I thought of all the thank you notes I’ve written over the years. They were always for gifts.

“Thank you for the birthday present ... thank you for the dictionary and thesaurus for graduation (does people still give dictionaries for graduation?) ... thank you for the espresso maker for our wedding (it’s been 15 years, we have yet to make a single cup of espresso) ... thank you for the christening gift ...”

All acceptable reasons to pull out the good stationery and pen a

note, but perhaps we should write thank you notes for bigger things: “Mr. H., thank you for making me keep a journal in high school.

Three boxes of journals and a paycheck that comes from writing later - you may have started something.”

“Dear Dr. K., thanks for saving my life after The Boy was born.

You gave us the world.”

“Dear Mom and Dad, thanks for everything.”

Which makes me wonder if I’ve been teaching gratitude all wrong to The Boy. I’ll still make sure he writes the obligatory thank you notes for gifts,, but perhaps thankfulness should be taught focusing less on things given and more on the intangibles received.

His notes might look something like this ..

“Dear Prof. D, thank you for introducing me to chemistry. That experiment you showed our class was really cool.”

“Dear G’ma and Poppie, thank you for standing out in the rain for my soccer games all season.”

And maybe, if we’re lucky, someday my husband and I will get a note that says, “Dear Mom and Dad, thanks for everything.”

Karen Bergamo Moore lives in Camillus with her husband and son. She works in the communications office at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, is active in Boy Scouts and enjoys running 5Ks with her son. Follow her on twitter at @kmoore623.

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