LOCALIFE Page 8A
Friday, May 18, 2012
COMMUNITY
CALENDAR
This Evening • Hope in Recovery, similar to traditional 12-step programs to confront destructive habits and behaviors, meets at the First Presbyterian Church, 114 E. 4th St., Greenville, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, call (937) 548-9006. • The Narcotics Anonymous group, Staying Clean for the Weekend, meets at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 230 E. Poplar St.
Saturday Morning • Agape Mobile Rural Food Pantry Distribution, in Russia, 9 to 10 a.m. • Agape Mobile Rural Food Pantry Distribution, in Fort Loramie, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Saturday Afternoon • A support group for survivors of sexual abuse meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second floor of the TroyHayner Cultural Center, 301 W. Main St., Troy. For information, call (937) 295-3912 or (937) 272-0308.
Saturday Evening • The Sidney-Shelby County Chess Club “Checkmates” meets at 7 p.m. at the library at the Dorothy Love Retirement Community. All skill levels are welcome. For more information, call 497-7326. • The Narcotics Anonymous group, Saturday Night Live, meets at 8 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 120 W. Water St.
Sunday Afternoon • Shelby County Deer Hunters holds its monthly Sunday Trap Shoot at 7988 Johnston-Slagle Road beginning at noon, 10 birds. Program starts at 2 p.m., 50 birds, long run, handicapped and Lewis class. Open to the public.
Sunday Evening • The Narcotics Anonymous group, Never Alone, Never Again, meets at 6:30 p.m. at First Christian Church, 320 E. Russell Road. • The Catholic Adult Singles Club will meet miniature golf and supper in Englewood. Call (419) 678-8691 for information.
Monday Afternoon • Sidney Rotary Club meets at noon. For more information on activities or becoming a member, contact Scott Barhorst at 492-0823.
Monday Evening • Art Study Group meets at 6 p.m. For information, contact Starr Gephart at 295-2323. • Women of the Moose meets at 7 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Russell Road. • The Narcotics Anonymous group, Vision of Hope, group meets at 7 p.m. at Russell Road Church, 340 W. Russell Road. • Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step program for anyone desiring to stop eating compulsively, meets at 7 p.m. at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 1505 S. Main St., Bellefontaine. • Sidney Boy Scout Troop 97 meets at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. All new members are welcome. For more information, call Tom Frantz at 492-7075. • TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) meets at 7 p.m. at Faith Alliance Church, New Knoxville Road, New Bremen.
Tuesday Morning
Contact Localife Editor Patricia Ann Speelman with story ideas, club news wedding, anniversary, engagements and birth announcements by phone at (937) 498-5965; email, pspeelman@sdnccg.com; or by fax, (937) 498-5991.
Eichers suffer house fire I almost smoke that she know don’t could not see. where to begin Then the door with this colblew shut before umn. It seems they could enter so long ago the bedroom since last Mon(which probably day. kept the fire We d n e s d ay from spreading). Amish morning was We heard glass Cook nice and sunny, cracking and so we had no Lovina Eicher s h a t t e r i n g , hint the day which we found would take a bad turn. out later was the winDaughter Susan decided dows bursting from the to mow the grass while I heat of the flames. I told had taken some beef the girls, “Let’s get out of bones out of the freezer the house. It’s not worth to cook. Daughter Eliza- risking our lives.” I did beth was washing the remember to run out dishes. I also had taken and shut off the propane everything out of the re- tanks. A person feels so frigerator and freezer so helpless when you see so I could defrost it. All much smoke pouring out seemed normal until we of the windows not heard the smoke alarm knowing how much, if go off upstairs. Lately, anything, will be left. I quite a few of our smoke had someone call Joe at alarms would beep a lot, work to have him come which is a sign to change home but he said the 40the batteries. When the minute ride seemed to alarm went off, Eliza- take forever. Once the beth said, “Sounds like fire department had the another one has a dead fire out and the smoke battery.” I told her to go aired out a bit, we could upstairs and check to go in and see the dammake sure there was age. The boys’ bedroom nothing wrong. She took was damaged with a lot the broom along so she of smoke and water. could reach up to shut it They lost everything. We off. She walked into the felt very thankful, boys bedroom and saw though, that our house smoke. Looking back at was still standing. And the closet she saw flames most of all, that this didleaping up at the boys’ n’t happen during the clothes and yelled, night when the boys “Fire!” would have been sleepI ran to the back ing in there. We had to porch to find the fire ex- throw away all the boys’ tinguisher and couldn’t furniture, and their find it, while Susan and clothes, shoes and all of Elizabeth got buckets of their toys were dewater. I later saw the ex- stroyed. I did keep back tinguisher right where it the cedar chest that usually is. I think I pan- Mom and Dad gave me icked too much to think one Christmas before I clearly. We then called was married. I am going 911, while Elizabeth ran to see if I clean it up over to our neighbor’s to good enough to keep. It ask for his fire extin- was in the boys’ room. guisher. But by the time Lovina and Kevin she returned, the bed- shared a hallway closet room was so thick with beside the boys’ room, so
Kevin’s shoes were lost and all of Lovina’s toys, as well. We could save Kevin’s shirts and Lovina’s dresses hanging in their closet. Sister Emma washed them, but they still do have a smoke smell, which I hope will disappear after a few washes. What discourages me is not knowing what actually caused the fire. It started in the boys’ closet and all we can think of is it might have been toys with batteries, but we will probably never know. (To see photos of the boys charred bedroom or for information for readers wanting assist, visit to www.amishcookonline.co m/fire) I know around a month ago, I found a flashlight in their bedroom which had been left on. When I picked it up, it was very hot. I opened the lid to check the batteries and smoke came out from the inside of the flashlight. I discarded everything but maybe the same batteries were in something else. The first two nights after the fire, we didn’t sleep at our house. Joe and I and some of the children slept at Elizabeth’s friend’s Timothy’s house and the rest went to Jacob and Emma. We have torn off the drywall and have cleaned up a little already. The fire had spread to the attic and roof, so there is damage there and smoke and water damage throughout the house. Parts of our kitchen ceiling fell in. The fire department said if they had arrived just three minutes later, the house would have been a total loss. Tomorrow, the carpenters from
our church district will come and fix it all up. For now, the boys are sleeping on the couches and in the living room. I don’t think they like the idea of when they will have to sleep in that room again. Still scary to them knowing the fire started in their closet. We appreciate all the meals brought in and all the help and I want to thank readers who have donated. It helps so much. Emma did laundry for three days and our neighbor, Lila, took a lot of bedding home to wash. All of the girls’ clothes had to also be washed to help get the smoke smell out. After all the rebuilding is done, the church women want to come help clean up all the mess. Meanwhile, we can at least focus on our garden and its bounty. This is asparagus season. Try this recipe! ASPARAGUS PEANUT BAKE 4 cups fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup peanuts crushed 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 stick butter or margarine Cook asparagus in small amount of water tender crisp. until Arrange layers of asparagus, soup, peanuts, and cheese in a greased casserole. Season with salt and pepper and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and done.
Guidelines for using epinephrine
• Local 725 Copeland retirees meet for breakfast Dear Readdose wears off and at 9 a.m. at Clancy’s. Retirees and spouses are wel- ers: With food a second is come. allergies on the needed. rise, especially • A practice inTuesday Afternoon chiljector comes with • The Narcotics Anonymous group, Addicts at among many the prescription. Work, meets at noon at St. John’s Lutheran dren, people have an Use it! Don’t wait Church, 120 W. Water St. until an actual • Parkinson’s Support Group meets at 2 p.m. at e p i n e p h r i n e emergency arises! Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. auto-injector on Hints Know what to do Marys. For more information, contact Michelle at hand. Here is important and before a crisis. (419) 394-8252. from potentially life• Epinephrine Tuesday Evening Heloise a u t o - i n j e c t o r s • Head, Neck and Oral Cancer Support Group saving information that you Heloise Cruse should be replaced for patients and caregivers meets at St. Rita’s Reneed to know yearly. An expired gional Cancer Center in the Garden Conference about it: one may work, but it also Room from 5 to 6:30 p.m. For more information, call • Prescriptions come might not be as effective. (419) 227-3361. • The Narcotics Anonymous group, Living the with two injectors for a Don’t take a chance! • Always get medical Basics, meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Apostolic Temple, reason. They should not be separated! The second treatment after using epi210 Pomeroy Ave. • Blue Star Military Support Group will meet at injector is there in case nephrine. It is NOT a sub7 p.m. at the American Legion, Fourth Avenue, to something goes wrong stitute for medical care, with the first, or if the first but it buys you enough prepare for sending boxes to troops. • The Miami-Shelby Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society meets at 7:30 p.m. at the Greene Street UMC, 415 W. Greene St. at Caldwell Street. All men interested in singing are welcome and visitors are always welcome. For more information, call (937) 778-1586 or visit www.melodymenchorus.org. • The Al-Anon Sidney Group, for friends and relatives of alcoholics, meets from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church on the corner of North Street and Miami Avenue. All are welcome.
time to get medical treatment. Even if the injector works perfectly and the person feels better, medical treatment is a MUST. It also is the only way to receive a new prescription. — Heloise Reuse Dear Heloise: I take the robe (Heloise here: the disposable paper robes for examinations) that they give me to wear at a doctor’s office home with me. I use it for hair coloring or cutting my hair at home. — Denise, via email Cleaning a digital camera Dear Readers: Do you take your digital camera everywhere, as I do? How
do you protect it from dirt, dust and damage? Keep the camera in a bag, even if it is a small, sealable plastic bag. This cuts down on moisture and other stuff. If your camera looks dirty, use a soft cloth (a microfiber cloth is perfect) to gently wipe away smudges and fingerprints. On the lens, don’t use anything that will scratch. Very carefully use a soft cloth or eyeglass cleaner. If the battery compartment gets a little dusty, use a pencil eraser to clean the metal contacts and then blow into the compartment to remove the “shavings.” — Heloise
NOW OPEN The
Wednesday Morning • The Sidney Kiwanis Club meets at 11:30 a.m. at the Moose Lodge. Lunch is held until noon, followed by a club meeting and program.
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1580 West Michigan St. Sidney, OH 45365
• The Narcotics Anonymous group, Labor of Love, meets at 6:30 p.m. at First Christian Church, 320 E. Russell Road.
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