Anne Wood stands in front of a display for the South Haven Library's Reading Olympics. "There are always numerous events happening at Porter County Libraries," stated Woods.
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During February the South Haven Public Library sponsored a month long event called the Winter Reading Olympics. It was an easy event to participate in, and unlike the regular Olympics there was no need to cross train or get into top form. All patrons had to do was check out books from the South Haven Public Library, read them, and when they returned them make sure that they filled out an appropriate card with their name, the title of the book, and whether or not they’d recommend it to another patron. The cards were then entered into a drawing for a variety of prizes at the end of the month.
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Portage Food Pantry volunteers gathered for training and an informal meal at the Portage Adult Education Center on Wednesday, February 24th. Nearly fifty volunteers now donate over six hundred hours of service time every month to help serve the pantry’s ever-growing number of clients. Last year the pantry was able to help 8412 local families in need.

Donations of food or personal hygiene items may be brought to the pantry, which is located in back of the Portage Adult Education Center at 5391 Central Avenue in Portage, on Fridays from 8:00 am until 1200 pm. Monetary donations can be sent in care of Linda Roque, Financial Secretary, to P.O. Box #1582, Portage, IN, 46368.

Pictured are volunteers who have been serving the pantry in many capacities during the past year: Front Row: Judy Selund; Ashley Andrews; Amber Grobetz; Sarah Tracy, Director of Volunteers; and Bobbie DeKemper, Pantry Co-Director. Second Row: Pat Peters; Mimi Moore; Kathy Mendoza; Diana Gymrek; Billie Wallace; Barb O’Hara; and Cindy Lutrell. Third Row: Edmund McDanel; Diane Howsare, Bread Coordinator; Donnie Potts; Paul Sams; Mary Cutter; Joan Byas; Carolyn Potts; Scott Tracy; Nancy Bedolla; and Jay Bedolla.

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Linda Eleftheri’s Jackson Elementary second grade class won the competition at the school for bringing in the most soup cans for the “Souper” Bowl food drive which were donated to two local food pantries. The class won a free hour and half of bowling reward donated by Inman’s Fun and Party Center in Valparaiso. Pictured at the bowling alley are front, left to right, Jett Lloyd, Travis Konarski, Maris Robinson, Leah Nittner, Andrey Benus, Alyssa Schneider and Jordan Montoya. Row 2, Daniel Alexander, Steven Skelton, Cairdon Bailey, Katie Hall, Gavin Dooley, Abbey Gemeinhart, Savannah Lee and Gigi Ricciardi. Back, Dr. Linda Rugg, principal; Joshua Osborne, Gabriel Kroeger, Christian Charlson, Adam Wilson, teacher Linda Eleftheri, Sydney Balas and A.J. Stirling. (Duneland Schools photo)

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The National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend that consumers change the battery in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when we change the clocks for Daylight Saving Time.

While you have that ladder out to check your smoke detectors, why not change a bulb?
Switching to energy efficient bulbs in your ceiling fixtures could save you $30 a year per bulb on your electricity bill.

Energy efficient lighting is particularly important in the fall when Daylight Saving Time ends and the days are shorter.
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Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller
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Most people agree that filing your annual tax return ranks right up there with root canals and cleaning the gutters. Regardless of how you feel about it, they must be done. In the wake of the great recession, many Hoosiers are looking for ways to trim their tax bills. Tax scams often appeal to those in financial distress and as we approach the home stretch of filing season, it’s important to remember a few common scams to avoid.

The goal of most tax scams is to either trick people out of their money or steal their identities. The IRS has identified several methods scammers use to accomplish this.
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Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller
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March Madness in Indiana is about more than just basketball, it’s about loyalty to your favorite players and coming together as a community to rally for your team. When Indianapolis plays host to the NCAA Final Four tournament on April 3 and 5, team spirit will reach new heights as thousands of basketball fans from around the country arrive for the games. Unfortunately, scammers have identified these types of events as a good opportunity to exploit the loyalty fans have for their teams.
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The dining room area of the Smart Home features a table that uses the wood from a 100-year-old tree that fell on the Museum’s property in 2009.
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The Museum of Science and Industry unveiled Chicago’s Greenest Home on March 4, with a fresh new look and new green stories to tell.

The Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit, a fully-functioning, eco-friendly modular home on the Museum’s grounds, has been refreshed courtesy of Midwest Living. The home is designed to reflect the lifestyle of an empty-nester couple and features soft, organic textures and colors fused with a contemporary style—as well as unique green technologies for the 21st century. Since the Smart Home first debuted in May 2008 at MSI, more than 200,000 guests have taken guided tours of the exhibit. This year tours will run through Jan. 9, 2011.
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Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar has presented a $1,000 donation toward the Cardiovascular Research program of Community Healthcare System. The contribution represents the restaurant’s funding and awareness efforts concerning heart disease – the nation and the region’s leading cause of death.

The Cardiovascular Research program works with the hospitals of Community Healthcare System to offer new treatment options available only through research. On hand for the check presentation are (left to right) Marie Forszt, director, Cardiovascular Research program at Community Healthcare System and Doris Brooks, assistant general manager, Boston’s.
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