Updates and happenings in and around the area

The American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, at St. Joseph Parish Hall, 1310 Main St., Rochester. If you give blood April 1-23, you might be able to snag a free Red Cross and Peanuts “Joe Cool” T-shirt, but quantities are limited. To schedule a time online to give blood, go to: www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time.

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The Tippecanoe River State Park, Winamac, will be holding its fifth annual Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 8. Kids will be able to hunt eggs, create crafts and play games. Call (574) 946-3213 for more information, or visit the website at: on.IN.gov/tippecanoeriversp.

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Fulton County REMC is sponsoring an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 1, at the Outlet Youth Center, 491 Apache Drive, Rochester. Festivities get underway at 4 p.m., and the egg hunt starts at 5.

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The Fulton Liberty Lions Club will be holding an Easter egg hunt at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at Liberty Township Park in Fulton. Age groups include 3 years or younger; ages 4 and 5; ages 6, 7 and 8; and ages 10, 11 and 12. Participants will be asked to leave the plastic eggs in the totes that are provided. Winners of $5 eggs will be asked to have their pictures taken for media publishing.

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Rochester Ducks Unlimited will be offering “Gun Bingo” Friday, April 7, at the Moose Lodge 1107, 1911 Westside Road, Rochester. Doors open at 6 p.m., and bingo starts at 7.

At least 10 bingo games will be played, and a gun will be given to the winner of each game. A cash option also will be available.

Ticket prices include entry to the event, Ducks Unlimited membership, food and drink. Bingo packages also will be sold at the door.

Separate raffles will be available too. For tickets and questions, call or text Dave Horvath at (574) 9521876.

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The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 1343, Rochester, will hold a meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 1, that all officers should attend. The auxiliary will be conducting a regular meeting that includes nomination and election of officers. Current officers who cannot attend but wish to continue holding their office should put the request in writing and have it presented at the meeting.

—o— Riddle Elementary School’s One School, One Book program will hold a spaghetti dinner fundraiser from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April

11, at the Rochester High School cafeteria. The menu includes spaghetti, breadstick, salad, dessert and lemonade You can dine in or carry out. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased by calling the Riddle Elementary office at (574) 223-2880. TCU is sponsoring the fundraiser.

Spaghetti fundraiser a huge success

New Life Church hosted the freewill donation spaghetti fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 26. All proceeds raised went to help students who signed up to work at the event, with the fundraising needed for their Washington, D.C., trip in May with National Junior Honor Society. They raised $2,500 and it was a huge success.

The trip costs around $1,300 per student and right now there are over 50 people signed up to attend, including adult chaperones. This is one of the largest groups that have gone on the trip.

Students will tour places like the Washington Monument, Library of Congress, Arlington National Cemetery and more.

National Junior Honor Society elevates a school’s commitment to the values of scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship and helps middle-level students develop the knowledge and skills to become wellrounded student leaders in their school, community and beyond.

The students are not only required to perform well academically, but within their community by performing 20+ hours of community service each school year they are in National Junior Honor Society.

Springtime brings allergy time for many

Editor’s Note: Paula McKinney is the vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Woodlawn Hospital, Rochester. She is a registered nurse who holds a doctor of nursing practice degree and nurse executive certification.

Every spring as the trees bloom and pollen is released into the air, people who suffer from allergies begin to have watery eyes, sneezing and sniffling.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, allergies (also known as hay fever) are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness.

Allergies occur when our immune system mistakes pollen as a foreign invader and releases antibodies to attack it. When the antibodies attack, a chemical known as histamine is released. Histamine is what causes the symptoms of allergies — itchy, watery eyes and runny nose — to occur.

Breezy days carry the pollen through the air and thus cause allergy symptoms to be increased, whereas rainy days cause a drop in pollen so allergy symptoms are decreased.

Your primary care provider can properly diagnose and prescribe an allergy treatment/management plan to help in the care of allergies. Medications that they might prescribe include antihistamines and decongestants. If you or someone you know have symptoms of an allergy, consult a physician for treatment.