The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off
by Maralyn Fink
On Saturday I attended the Great Lakes Pumpkin Weigh Off at Andy T’s. It was a very nice day for the event and was attended by many.
Pumpkins and more pumpkins were in sight for all to enjoy. The kids were in awe with so many, and the sizes of them were spectacular. If you have never been, plan on next year to see this worthwhile event.
This year’s winner was Jerry Walijewski from Sand Lake with a pumpkin which weighed 1,484lbs. Drew Thompson of Jackson brought a pumpkin which weighed 1,718 lbs. His was disqualified due to cracking.
Injured SJHS student inspires fundraiser
Kennedy Fish is a junior at St. Johns High School. She was recently in a car accident which put her in the ICU at Sparrow Hospital.
As she is recovering, a fundraiser has been set up to bring friends, family and the community together to rally for her recovery. With every item purchased, $8.00 will be donated to Kennedy and her family to help eliminate the stressors of the financial burden the recovery effort will bring.
Shirts will be available for pickup/shipped seven business days after order is placed. https://stores.inksoft.com/team_kennedy/shop/home.
Tri-County Office on Aging Volunteer Spotlight
Janet and Jim standing side by side. Jim is holding a certificate with the words, “Lions of Michigan Hall of Fame, Inducted August 2019.”
September’s Volunteer Spotlight is on Jim and Janet Dunn who volunteer for Meals on Wheels in Clinton County.
Some may think the Dunns do things backwards. Jim and Janet retired in Florida after serving in the United States Air Force for 28 years. They then “swam upstream to their spawning grounds” in Michigan to be caregivers for Janet’s parents.
In 1988 Janet joined the DeWitt Lioness Club and delivered Meals on Wheels each month. After their parents passed Jim, a Dewitt Lion himself, joined Janet in delivering Meals on Wheels in the Dewitt and Bath areas.
The couple has now been delivering meals for 32 years. After such a long time, bonds with clients have developed.
COVID-19 restrictions currently allow for once per week delivery in a contactless drop off, and the Dunns are eagerly awaiting when they can safely return to daily deliveries. TCOA is grateful for the tremendous care and time commitment that the Dunns give to Meals on Wheels clients in Clinton County.
Remember When? – 15 Years of Magical Pumpkins from 2009
It was October 7-11, 1994. The place was the Clinton County Court House lawn. The event the 1st Annual “Pumpkins on Parade” pumpkin decorating contest sponsored by the St. Johns Lions/ Lioness Clubs.
The contest was the vision of George and Kathleen Campbell. The intent of the project was to provide manifestation of our thanks to the community for their continued support of Lions/Lioness clubs and other non-profits community projects. The event would be held the 2nd full weekend of October each successive year. The contest and related activities would be free to all participants.
This year with the continued support from our local sponsors; Andy T’s Farm, Community Electric, Big Boy of St. Johns and the City of St. Johns, we are adding a couple of new events. Friday night, October 9th there will be Laser Tag in the park (6-8 PM) for the kids and The band “Flashback” will perform at the band shell (7-9 PM).
The years have passed. Some of the participants of the first year’s event now have children of their own, and those little ones will be putting their creations in the Pumpkin Patch. St. Johns own circle of life.
Parents, grandparents and friends please take the time to visit the Pumpkin Patch. The city park is beautiful in the fall, the pumpkin displays will amaze and delight you, and the participants will appreciate the fact that you took the time to see and appreciate all their hard work.
Letters -Superhero Thank You
Supergirl and founding member of the Board of Directors, Mary Beth Elstro after her super 5K
2020 has shown us even though the how we do things may be different, great things still happen! Last week we hosted our 7th Annual Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly! as a virtual event; and we are blown away by Your generosity and support.
Thank You to our amazing sponsors who supported a different kind of event. Your support is especially appreciated with us not being able to be together for all the fun things.
Super appreciation to all who participated and shared SUPER pictures–check out our Facebook page for more! We thank the 127 people who registered and it looks like they had a GREAT time even though we could not be all together this year.
You are All Superheroes for Clinton County Children and Youth, thank you! Saturday, September 25, 2021, will YOUR CAPE be ready?
We wish you and your family peace and health. Stay Well.
Kelly L. Schafer, Executive Director
The Voice for Clinton County’s Children
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Human Foods That Are Dangerous for Cats
Cats are part of the family, so you may be tempted to share a few pieces of food with them here and there. Even if you never share your food, plenty of cats help themselves to something they shouldn’t.
But the truth is that many human foods are toxic or even deadly for cats.
Here’s a list of human foods that you should keep away from your feline family member, along with some advice on what to do if your cat does get ahold of one of these types of food.
Human Foods That Are Harmful for Cats to Eat
Any food not specifically formulated for cats can affect the digestive system, causing vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite.
These human foods can cause serious illness in your cat.
Alcohol
Alcohol is not safe for your cat.
Cats can not only get drunk, but it can also easily cause severe liver and brain damage.
As little as a tablespoon of any form of alcohol can put an adult cat in a coma; more than that can kill them.
Chocolate
The compound in chocolate that is of major concern is theobromine. It’s in all forms of chocolate, and most concentrated in dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate.
Consumption can cause heart arrhythmias, muscle tremors, or seizures. Chocolate also contains caffeine.
Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Energy Drinks)
Coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolate, and other caffeinated drinks and foods can cause your cat to become restless and have rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and/or muscle tremors.
Dairy Products
Cats can become lactose intolerant when they become adults. Their bodies no longer produce enough lactase to digest milk—especially cows’ milk. If ingested by cats, dairy products can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Fat Trimmings, Raw Meat, Eggs, Fish
Please consult your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist first before adding these foods to your cat’s diet.There is risk of vomiting, diarrhea, Salmonella or E. coli with these foods for some animals, especially when given improperly.
Fat trimmings can also cause pancreatitis in cats.
Onions and Garlic
All members of the onion family can cause problems if eaten in sufficient quantity.
A small amount of onion or garlic in some sauce is not likely to cause problems. However, eating a clove of garlic or a green onion may cause digestive upset.
Eating any type of onion on a regular basis could cause anemia.
Baby Food
Baby food made from meat is often seasoned with onion or garlic, so it should not be fed to cats.
Tuna
Tuna as an ingredient in commercially produced cat food is perfectly fine for cats.
However, tuna sold for human consumption may cause digestive upset when given as an occasional treat in small amounts.
It can even cause a painful condition called steatitis, or inflammation of the body’s fat, when fed to cats on a regular basis. Tuna has too much unsaturated fatty acid and does not have sufficient vitamin E or other antioxidants, whereas commercial cat foods usually supplement vitamin E.
What to Do If Your Cat Eats a Food That’s Toxic
If you suspect your cat ate any of these foods, try to determine how much they may have eaten.
Call your veterinarian for specific advice; in some cases, small quantities are not likely to be a problem, but larger quantities may require you to take her in to see your veterinarian.
If your veterinarian is unavailable or unequipped to handle the situation, call the nearest animal hospital or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-213-6680. This is especially important if your cat is displaying symptoms such as muscle tremors or repeated vomiting.
Treatment for Cats That Eat Harmful Food
For cats, treatment involves supportive care until symptoms resolve. This may involve hospitalization, intravenous fluids, monitoring of organ function via repeated blood testing, and other measures as indicated by the specific circumstances.
Tips for Preventing Your Cat From Eating Dangerous Foods
The best prevention is to keep human food out of reach of your cat.
If you feel the urge to give your cat a food treat, then give them one that’s actually made for cats, and in moderation. There are plenty of exciting food treats, like freeze-dried meat, that your cat will love. Just remember that treats are part of your cat’s daily calorie intake.