Early Valentine’s Day Concert – February 3
Are you looking for a wonderful early Valentine’s Day outing – a concert of love-songs from great jazz standards and musical theater? Then mark Friday, February 3 on your calendar.
The Wilson Collective is excited to announce its first concert of 2017, “Songs You’ll Love.” A wonderful vocal quartet, Romancing the Tone, will be giving a special concert in St. Johns on Friday, Feb. 3 starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Wilson Center Auditorium.
Romancing the Tone is made up of four talented singers, who have all sung with “Singers on the Grand” – Kelly Sandula-Gunner, St. Johns’ own Ellen Hoard, Dan Templin and Dave Sincox. They will be accompanied by an outstanding trio with St. Johns’ Jeff Richards on piano, Rick Peterson on bass and James Flanagan on drums.
There will be a $10 admission charge with all the proceeds going to the Wilson Center Auditorium project. The WC Auditorium is located at 101 W. Cass St. in downtown St. Johns, just south of the Courthouse.
Steps to help prevent birth defects
Every expectant mother hopes for a healthy baby, but sadly every four and a half minutes a baby is born with a major birth defect in the United States. These birth defects lead to lifelong challenges and disabilities, and are the most common cause of death in the first year of life and the second-most common cause of death in children aged one to four years.
This uncertainty can be very unsettling, but the Mid-Michigan District Health Department would like to reassure women that they are not powerless when it comes to protecting their unborn child. While not all birth defects can be prevented, there are many things a woman can do to increase her chances of having a healthy baby.
One of the most important things all women of childbearing age should do is take a vitamin with folic acid every day. Folic acid helps a baby’s brain and spine develop in the first month of pregnancy when a woman might not even know she is pregnant.
Women should also take steps to prevent infections before and during pregnancy. Steps include:
· See your doctor regularly: Find out what vaccinations you need and how you can keep yourself and your unborn baby healthy.
· Maintain good hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers or wiping runny noses; after being around or touching pets or other animals; after handling raw meat, raw eggs, or unwashed vegetables; or before preparing or eating foods.
· Properly prepare food: Wash your hands before and after preparing food and avoid unpasteurized milk and cheese.
· Protect yourself from animals and insects known to carry disease: Stay away from wild or pet rodents, live poultry, lizards and turtles, and do not clean cat litter boxes while pregnant. Use insect repellant to repel mosquitoes and ticks.
Additional ways women can get ready for and have a healthy pregnancy include avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; making sure medical conditions, like diabetes, are under control; knowing your family history; and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Women also should see if they qualify for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program by calling 1-800-26-BIRTH. This program provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support, supplemental foods and health care referrals to qualified women, infants and children up to age five.
By following these guidelines, women can reduce the risk of prematurity, early pregnancy loss, stillbirths and having a child born with a birth defect.
For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov.
Adult Photography Class coming up in February
The City of St Johns Recreation Department is very excited to be offering an adult photography class on Thursdays, February 9, 16, 23 2017 from 5:00-7:00 p.m at the Depot.
Adults ages 18 and up will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of photography, camera settings and how they work, image cropping and design, the rule of thirds, and other design concepts. Returners will learn how better enhance the concepts they learned before.
The cost for the class is $25.00 for City of St Johns Residents and $30.00 for Non-City of St Johns Residents. The deadline to register is February 7, 2017
For more information call (989)224-8944 or email bblackmon@ci.saint-johns.mi.us or visit http://cityofstjohnsmi.com/Departments/ParksandRecreation/RegisterNow.aspx.
Museum closed for the winter
The Paine-Gillam-Scott House Museum is closed for the winter. Volunteers are checking telephone messages on 989-224-2894.
Visit the web page at PGSmuseum.com for more updates in the spring.
We look forward to seeing you in the spring.
High School Pool Activities
– Open Swim: Mondays; 6:30-8 pm; Jan. 9—April 26; $4-per adult, per visit; $3-per child, per visit
– Adult Early Morning Lap Swim: T & TH; 5-6 am (year round)-$5 per visit, per person
– Adult Mid-Day Lap Swim: M, W, & F; 10 –11 am (year round)-$5 per visit, per person
– Adult Evening Lap Swim: M & W; 8:15-9:15 pm; Jan. 4-April 26-$5 per visit, per person
– Youth Swim Lessons: T & TH; April 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, and 27. Times vary. $25 each child
An Early Childhood Training Series: Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom
Do you want to deepen your knowledge of emergent language and literacy Practices? Clinton County MSU Extension and St. Peters Lutheran Church and School will be partnering to offer a 10 hour training series focused on the implementation of strong language and literacy practices in early childhood classrooms.
This series, geared towards early childhood teachers (infant – Pre-K), will be held on Saturdays from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. at St. Peters Lutheran Church and School (8990 Church Rd.) in St. Johns. Please call Clinton County MSU Extension at 989-224-5228 or Tina Gust with St. Peters Lutheran Church and School at 989-224-3178. This workshop is free; attend one session or all four. Topics and dates are as follows:
January 28, 2017 Oral Language, Extended Conversations and Home-School Connections
February 4, 2017 Phonological Awareness and Alphabet Knowledge
February 18, 2017 Reading, Books for Learning and Building Vocabulary
March 4, 2017 Emergent Writing and Environmental Print
Briggs District Library News
Lap-sit Storytime “Busy with Family, Friends & More” – Children ages 12 to 24 months with adult participation are invited to enjoy story-time sessions on Friday mornings 10:30-11am, February 17th-March 24th or Monday evenings 6:30-7pm, February 20th – March 27th. We will share age appropriate stories, fun creative movement, music and learn simple signs (sign language). Registration is required and open now. This program is a great way for very young children to socialize with each other in a fun and casual environment.
Chapter Chatter: Here’s Looking at You! We will be sharing a chapter book over the course of 4 weeks.There will be Googly Eye Crafts, Googly Eye Snacks and Extra Googly Eye Fun! This program is for ages 6 to 8 years (independent listeners) We hope you can join us on Thursday evenings, 7- 745pm, February 23rd thru March 16th. Registration is required and opens: Thursday, January 26th.
Kids, Cartoons, & Crafts – Children ages 5-9 are invited to join us for a special Valentine’s Day movie program! On Tuesday, February 7 we will watch selections from Bugs Bunny’s Cupid Capers, create a related craft, and enjoy a snack. Registration is required and opens Tuesday, January 10.
Tween Garden Planning: What does it take to Design a Garden? ‘Tweens ages 10-12 can join us on Thursday, February 9 from 6:30-7:30 PM to help staff members in planning the Rae Johnson’s Children’s Garden for this summer. We will be choosing plant varieties, deciding on architectural projects, and learning about both plant spacing and companion planting. Registration is required and open now.
Irish Dance Company of Lansing – The Briggs District Library is excited to be offering a special community program in March. The Irish Dance Company of Lansing, a troupe comprised of children ages 7-18, has been promoting Irish music and dance to the Mid-Michigan area since 1992. This special company will be performing at the Wilson Center, Friday, March 10 from 7:00-7:45. All ages welcome, though the program may not be suitable for children under 3. A library card is not required to attend this free program, but registration is appreciated and opens Friday, February 10. For more information about the Irish Dance Company of Lansing, and to see great photos of past performances, visit irishdancelansing.org.
March is Reading Month! – Celebrating with Dr. Seuss & Friends – Stories, snacks, crafts, music and games will be offered on Tuesdays evenings, 6:30-7:30 pm, “Green Eggs & Ham: Breakfast Before Bed on March 14 (ages 3-4 with adult participation), “One Fish, Two Fish” on March 21 (ages 5-6 independent listeners), and “What Pet Should I Get?” on March 28 (ages 5-9 independent listeners). Registration opens on Tuesday, Feb. 14th and is required for all programs.
Adult Coloring Club – The next session of our Adult Coloring Club will take place on Thursday, February 2 from 6:00-7:30. Participants are welcome to use the materials we provide or bring their own at this self-directed, come and go as you please program. Registration for this free program is now available.
Bookaholics Book Club – The February selection of the Bookaholics Book Club is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, a unique love story that mixes elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. It is the tale of two real life illusionists, Marco and Celia, who, although being wagered against each other in a deadly battle of magic unlike the world has ever seen, end up subverting the laws of their masters by falling in love. Copies of the book are now available. The Bookaholics is an open club, and is always accepting new members, so all are invited to join us when we meet next on Thursday, February 16 at 6:30p.m.
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Contact Information:
Library Director: Sara Morrison
Phone: 989-224-4702 * Fax: 989-224-1205
E-mail: director@briggsdistrictlibrary.org
Street address: 108 E Railroad * Saint Johns, MI 48879
Mark Your Calendar
Early Valentine’s Day Concert – February 3 at the Wilson Center
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Helping Hands Dinner Raffle will be held on Saturday, February 4 at Smith Hall