{"id":4409,"date":"2019-05-02T20:57:58","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T00:57:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/?p=4409"},"modified":"2019-05-02T20:57:58","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T00:57:58","slug":"features-63","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=4409","title":{"rendered":"Features"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>SJHS Track and  Field Teams clean Mt. Rest Cemetery<\/strong><br \/>\nby Maralyn Fink<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/trackteam.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"201\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4412\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Since 2008 the boys and girls track and field teams at St. Johns High School have conducted a Community Service Fundraiser by spring cleaning and beautifying Mt. Rest Cemetery in St. Johns. The first team clean-up project at the cemetery in 2008 took place on a Saturday morning with 32 athletes participating. This year 121 athletes raked leaves, cleared stones by the roads, picked up sticks and branches and cleaned the mausoleum.<\/p>\n<p>Two weeks before the clean-up, the student-athletes write letters to possible sponsors. Each student writes eight letters asking for sponsorship of the clean-up day.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Robbins, Mt. Rest sexton, indicated that he was very pleased with the amount of work the team was able to complete this year.<\/p>\n<p>I was notified by a local resident who was at Mt. Rest Cemetery that there were a lot of students there that were cleaning up the grounds. This was a great community project they did, and I felt this should be known in our community.<\/p>\n<p>A big thank you to the High School boys and girls track team for doing a great service.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Habitat and Toolmen partner to build ramp in St. Johns<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/awV2VoH9mDw\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The Tuesday Toolmen partnered with Clinton-Gratiot Habitat for Humanity on April 30 for another Handicap ramp build in St. Johns. The weather wasn\u2019t great but we got another ramp done. It\u2019s always nice when we can work together to help those in need. A very deserving couple in need in St. Johns had a wheelchair ramp built .<\/p>\n<p>Thank you to Tuesday Toolmen for your great work in the chilly weather and helping Habitat  complete this ramp. The Tuesday Toolmen are a group of volunteers who work every Tuesday to help low income seniors and adults with disabilities remain in their homes. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tuesdaytoolmen\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tuesdaytoolmen<\/font><\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Keck to serve as Army recruiter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/keck.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"366\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4413\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Army Staff Sergeant Spencer Keck from St. Johns visited Rep. Graham Filler recently to talk about his service in the U.S. Army.<\/p>\n<p>Spencer graduated from St. Johns in 2007, completed basic training, served in Germany and South Korea, and now serves as an Army recruiter for the mid-Michigan area.<\/p>\n<p>Spencer is the son of  Curt and Karen Keck of St. Johns.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>County Cleanup event a success<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HM9Jhqlckug\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Clinton County Department of Waste Management volunteers performed a great service at the Clean Community Event this past Saturday. Volunteers included the DeWitt High School Football coach and team, township board members, current and past County Commissioners, Sheriff deputies and posse members, Friends of the Briggs Library Group, pharmacists, retired nurses, past and current county staff, and favorite volunteers who come back every year.<\/p>\n<p>About 608 residents took advantage of this program. Volunteers filled three semi trailers with tires at this event.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>St. Peter 150 years in photos<\/strong>: Sunday School staff, 1960s<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/sundayschool.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"326\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4429\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Do you remember ?<\/p>\n<p>Can you name the St. Peter Sunday School staff in this photo from the 1960s? Email Rhonda Dedyne at <a href=\"mailto:rdedyne@gmail.com\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">rdedyne@gmail.com<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n<p>No prizes &#8211; just the fun of participating in the St. Peter Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary celebration. Correct names of the staff and names of the correct responders will be posted on SJ Indy and the St. Peter website, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stpeterriley.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">http:\/\/www.stpeterriley.org\/<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Letters<\/strong> &#8211; Superhero event a huge success<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XRmwJOIYbRA\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The 6th Annual Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly! was a huge success for Clinton County Children&#8217;s services.<\/p>\n<p>The Voice for Clinton County&#8217;s Children extends our sincere appreciation to the nearly 300 race registrants and their cheerleaders, event sponsors and in-kind supporters, and event volunteers.<\/p>\n<p>Your superhero support of our signature event ensures children in Clinton County who have experienced neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse receive necessary support through their healing journeys. We look forward to April 25, 2020&#8211;will your cape be ready?<\/p>\n<p>Sincerely,<br \/>\nKelly Schafer, Executive Director<br \/>\nThe Voice for Clinton County&#8217;s Children<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Maralyn&#8217;s Pet Corner<\/strong> &#8211; Can Cats Be Allergic to Dogs?<br \/>\ncourtesy of Paula Fitzsimmons<\/p>\n<p>Although veterinarians say it\u2019s not well-documented or very common, cats can be allergic to dogs. \u201cWhen we perform intradermal allergy testing in cats, \u2018dog epithelia\u2019 is one of the allergens that we test cats for out of a panel of about 60 environmental allergens, including pollens, molds and house dust mites,\u201d says Dr. Elizabeth Falk, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. \u201cWe can include that in the cat&#8217;s allergy vaccine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Generally speaking, cat allergies are not very well-studied, so knowing whether certain dog breeds are more allergenic than others is tough. It\u2019s not much of a stretch, however, to suspect that certain breeds can potentially present more of a risk, veterinarians say.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn general, there seems to be significant breed-related variability in \u2018allergenicity\u2019 of dogs, whereas most cat-allergic people are allergic to all cats, regardless of breed. This is likely because people are allergic to different dog allergens (for example, dog saliva, Can f 1, and dog albumin, among others), whereas the major cat allergen, Fel d 1, is shared across all cat breeds,\u201d says Dr. Falk.<\/p>\n<p>There are no specific studies identifying what particular dog allergens cats are allergic to, but, according to Dr. Falk, it is reasonable to suspect that, similar to people, there will be breed-related variability.<\/p>\n<p>While it may not yet be possible to pinpoint which specific breeds will cause a cat\u2019s allergic reaction, dogs more prone to shedding could, theoretically, spread more allergens, suggests Dr. Susan Jeffrey, a veterinarian at Truesdell Animal Care Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. \u201cThese include both long- and short-haired dogs. I&#8217;d think the dogs that don&#8217;t typically shed would be less allergenic to cats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Keeping Your Allergic Cat Happy and Healthy<\/em><\/p>\n<p>There is no way to prevent the onset of allergies, but treatment and management is available if they do develop, says Dr. Falk. \u201cWe have two main treatment approaches: managing their symptoms with medications and\/or building their tolerance to their allergens with immunotherapy (an allergy vaccine).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe goal of the vaccine is to decrease or eliminate altogether the need for medications. It is effective in about 70 percent of patients,\u201d says Dr. Falk. \u201cTrying to keep the animals separate and limit exposure might be possible, but making the cat less allergic to the dog with an allergy vaccine is likely a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Veterinarians say allergies are often a combination of environmental conditions and genetics. While you can\u2019t control your cat\u2019s DNA, there are things you can do to change his environment. For example, owners can \u201cclean often to try to keep the hair to a minimum. Bathing a dog often is also helpful, as this will help keep the allergens to a minimum,\u201d says Dr. Jeffrey.<\/p>\n<p>Correct amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, found largely in fish oils, may also play a role in good skin health, veterinarians say.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to Determine If Your Cat Is Allergic to Dogs<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If your cat is allergic to something, it will be pretty noticeable. The most prevalent clinical sign of allergies in pets is itching, says Dr. Jeffrey. \u201cAllergic animals will scratch their skin until they lose fur and cause trauma to the skin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This may lead to overgrowth of yeast and bacteria, resulting in an infection, she says. \u201cThese skin infections can look like crusts on the skin, excoriations, scales, papules, pustules (bumps on the skin) as well as generally pink\/red skin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>You may also notice that your cat is pulling out his hair, has runny eyes, is sneezing or has red plaques associated with eosinophilic granuloma complex, says Dr. Falk.<\/p>\n<p>To be certain that what you\u2019re seeing in your cat is an allergic reaction to your dog and not an allergy to something else, \u201cOwners can pursue blood testing and\/or skin testing like that done for humans,\u201d says Dr. Jeffrey.<\/p>\n<p>While not a common occurrence, cats can be allergic to dogs. If you suspect your cat is allergic to your dog or other allergens, take him to the veterinarian for diagnosis and, if necessary, allergy testing. There\u2019s not much you can do to prevent the onset of allergies, but you can work with your veterinarian to treat them and keep your cat as symptom-free as possible.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Now and Then<\/strong> &#8211; Won&#8217;t you be my neighbor?<br \/>\nby Jean Martin<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/peace1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"377\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4414\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The signs had been up here and there around St. Johns for a couple of years. Then on Sunday night one that was located on a private lawn was suddenly burned to the ground.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/peace2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"379\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4415\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t scary; it was surreal,&#8221; says the homeowner. &#8220;We just stared at it trying to figure out what we were seeing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>First the homeowner filed a police report. Then she immediately ordered another just like it.<\/p>\n<p>She also purchased another sign to add to it: &#8220;Hate has no home here.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/twosigns.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4430\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SJHS Track and Field Teams clean Mt. Rest Cemetery by Maralyn Fink Since 2008 the boys and girls track and field teams at St. Johns High School have conducted a Community Service Fundraiser by spring cleaning and beautifying Mt. Rest Cemetery in St. Johns. The first team clean-up project at the cemetery in 2008 took <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=4409\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4409\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}