JEFFERSON COUNTY FREE FAIR
Corrected Dates! Thursday, August 23– noon Saturday, August 25. Indoor entries are due by 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 22. Baked items needing refrigeration may be brought in by 8 a.m. Thursday, August 23 morning – judging will take place Thursday, August 23. Bring your creativity in crafts, arts, baked items, canned items, dehydrated foods, refurbished clothing or furniture, photography, Vintage items, Quilts, home grown fruits and vegetables, etc. A fair book will be available prior to August. There will be a Pet Show, Best Pie Maker and Best Cookie Jar contests! Come join the fun!
Co-Parenting for Resilence: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home. A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home. My next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 14, 2018 (there will be no class in July). Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information. This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
Jefferson County OHCE: The 83rd Annual OHCE State Meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites/Downtown, Oklahoma City, Sunday evening July 8 through Tuesday, July 10. Tara Brown, Jefferson County OHCE Advisor and others are planning to attend and will bring back educational materials and other information to share later.
Jefferson County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service through Oklahoma State University offers researched-based programs and information. Call 580-228-2332 or come to 802 East D’ Street (Jefferson County Fairgrounds and visit with Leland McDaniel, Extension Educator, Agriculture/ 4/H Youth Development and Tara Brown, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development for questions you may have relating to Agriculture and/or Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H.
Hot Weather Safety Whew! It’s Getting Hot!
Whether the activity is sports related like running or cycling, or work related such as lawn care or facility maintenance, considering the increasing temperatures outside is important for overall health. Exercising or working in the heat puts a stress on the body greater than what may be experienced due to the increased activity alone. When we are active in hot environments the body naturally protects itself through the sweating process. If you are exposed to high temperatures for too long, and your body becomes dehydrated, it could lead to heat related health conditions. Such conditions include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and the most severe, heatstroke. It is important to be aware of the warning signs and symptom of heat related illnesses. According to the Mayo Clinic the following signs are indicative of a heat related illness:
· Muscle cramps
· Nausea/vomiting
· Weakness
· Fatigue
· Headache
· Dizziness
· Low blood pressure
· Increased heart rate
· Vision problems
· Sweating extensively or not at all
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is important to stop exercising or working and get out of the heat immediately. You will also want to remove any extra clothing, place cool cloths or ice packs on skin, and drink plenty of fluids. If you are in a location you can use a hose or shower, spray yourself with water, or sit in a tub with cold water.
As with many health issues the best defense against health related illness is prevention. The following general precautions that may be taken to minimize the risk of heat related illnesses:
· Limit outdoor activity to the morning and evening hours.
· Get acclimated.
· Drink plenty of fluids.
· Wear clothing that is light color, and made with breathable fabrics.
· Cut down on exercise intensity.
· Understand your medical risks
Don’t forget the sunscreen!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a comprehensive website focused on extreme heat and your health at http://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/. And if you are working to educate others, a media toolkit at http://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/materials.html. Please continue to enjoy your outside activities during the summer months. Now you are prepared to identify if you are experiencing symptoms of a heat related illness, as well as work prevent it from ever occurring.
Thursday, June 21, Tara Brown, Jefferson County OSU Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development presented a nutrition program on Trail Mix to the Ringling School Summer program. She explained that there are a variety of Trail Mixes available in the market. After a discussion of what food items may be put into a Trail Mix and why it is good for hiking and other outdoor (as well as indoor) activities and simple snacks, the group made their Trail Mix snacks. Later during the afternoon, Tara Brown presented a program on rocks for the Library Rocks! Program for Gleason Memorial Library at the Ringling Community Building. After a brief discussion on the three main types of rocks, each participant creatively painted at least one river rock. There was a lot of creativity done!
