YMCA FUNDRAISER KICKS OFF.

Annual Friends of the Y Campaign Helps Kids in Need Join YMCA & Y Programs

The Fair Acres Family YMCA today announces the kick-off of its 2011 Friends of the Y campaign, a fundraising effort to increase support for the Y’s scholarship fund. Proceeds from the Friends of the Y Campaign will fund scholarships that allow children and families who otherwise may not be able to, to benefit from a Y membership and/or family strengthening YMCA programs such as child care, day camp, youth sports and other character-building programs.

YMCA Board Member, GA Flesher of UMB is leading the campaign effort as the Y’s Campaign Chairperson. Other Y Board members Catie Platt, Joe Ryder, John Nicholas & Tom Carlton are helping GA Flesher to lead the campaign, along with eleven other Board members and staff.

"We are proud to be able to meet the growing needs of our community by providing financial assistance for individuals and families who want and need YMCA programs but may not otherwise be able to afford them," said Flesher "Our goal is to raise $35,000 to provide scholarships for children and families from all income levels to participate in YMCA programs."

At the heart of community life in Carthage and surrounding communities, the mission-driven YMCA is "a place to belong" and to live the values that guide and unite our members: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. The YMCA provides a special opportunity for kids and adults to join life-changing and life-saving programs such as day camp, child care, youth sports, water safety, before and after school care, and summer camp.

"Children and families in our community need and deserve the family-oriented programs and services the YMCA can provide," said Flesher. "Few things are more important than a healthy lifestyle, strong community, positive role models and quality time spent together as a family. This is a critical campaign for the future of our community, and I am honored to be involved."

The YMCA offers kids and families the chance to make positive choices: Quality child care opportunities mean parents can work to improve their quality of life; youth sports programs give kids the chance to belong to a team devoted to making a positive difference; and healthy lifestyle programs give everyone in the family the chance to lead healthier, more productive lives.

Last year the Y’s campaign raised over $34,000, which allowed hundreds of kids and families to participate in programs including after school child care, Y memberships, youth sports, summer camps, swim lessons and swim team, and much more.

Contact the Y at 417-358-1070 to find out about donating to this year’s Friends of the Y Campaign.

For those of us who feel like we’re committin’ high crime if we forget to fasten our seat belts, the thought of tryin’ to out run local and county law enforcement is a little outrageous.

I see one fella thought he could do that the other day, only to be snagged as he came back into town by the gadget that is laid across the road by police and pokes holes in the tires to end a chase. There have been a couple three times I can remember these handy devices have been used since the Carthage Police Department acquired them a few years back.

‘Course they aren’t as excitin’ a shootin’ out a tire with a sidearm, but apparently they get the job done and with considerable less damage to the neighbors.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Weekly Columns

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Squeaks and Creaks

Q: The wooden staircase in my house has a couple of stairs that squeak loudly when anyone walks on them. They feel pretty solid. Is there a way to stop the noise? -- Jim in Toledo, Ohio

A: As your house and its components age and settle, it’s not unusual for a few squeaks and creaks to be heard in the floorboards or on the stairs, among other things. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them.

Squeaks in stairs are caused by the tread (the part that your foot steps on) rubbing against one of the risers (the vertical board between each step) or the stringer (the angled, notched board on which the stairs are built). Settling of the house, or expansion and contraction of the wood due to temperature and humidity fluctuations -- all of which are normal -- can cause a tiny misalignment of the stair’s treads and risers, noticeable when pressure is placed on the misaligned board (e.g., you step on it).

Correcting the squeak is not too difficult, especially if you can access the underside of the stairs.

You’ll need a hammer and small finishing nails, wood glue and several thin wooden shims or wedges (available at home-improvement stores). You also might need a drill and wood filler.

Have a helper walk up and down the stairs while you pinpoint the problem areas from underneath. After marking the squeaky stairs, spread a little wood glue on the top of a shim or wedge. Gently hammer the wedge into the space where the stair tread and the supporting riser meet. Add more wedges, equally spaced, if necessary to even it out. Also, place a wedge between the riser and the stringer, and between the tread and the stringer. Have your helper test the tread from above. If the finishing nails are short enough that they won’t poke through the top of the tread or riser, carefully nail the shims into place.