Brittany Smith Crowned Miss Florida Seminole at 52nd Annual ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

6B • The Seminole Tribune • July 31, 2009Judy WeeksTribal citizens and employees compete in the Firecracker Walk/Run along the L-28 Canal in Big Cypress on July 2.BC Participates in Firecracker Walk/RunBIG CYPRESS — Tribal citizens and employees gatheredon Canal Bank Road for the Firecracker Walk/Run at 6:30 a.m. onJuly 2.From babies in strollers to seniors on walkers, firemen andoffice clerks, the participants represented a broad spectrum of theBig Cypress community.Circulating through the crowd, Chairman Mitchell Cypresscongratulated everyone on taking a step toward fitness.“By coming here this morning, you have shown your commitmenttoward a better lifestyle that will benefit every part of yourbody,” Chairman Cypress said. “Exercise is a vital key towardgood health and its rewards are limitless. Regardless of when youcross the finish line, you will all leave here today as a winner.’Community Outreach Coordinator Edna McDuffie had assembleda capable staff from the Health and Fitness Departments tomanage the course and provide necessary incentives and assistanceto the participants.Fresh fruit, health bars, water and sport beverages were availableto help control blood sugar levels and ensure proper hydration,which is an important factor during all levels of exercise. Abooth offered valuable information regarding healthy hydration.Barbara Billie from the Big Cypress Wellness Center offeredwords of advice.“It is important to remember that you should drink a minimumof eight glasses of water or healthy liquids per day and especiallybefore, during and after exercise,” she said. “Water is the best fluidfor replenishment and helps to regulate body temperature, cushionsand protects vital organs and aids the digestive system.”The course had been laid out for a 5k Walk/Run, which is approximately4 miles. A special area had also been set aside for theBig Cypress Seniors’ Handicap Division, who completed a 1 milecourse.At 7 a.m. Neil Prager of the Fitness Dept. conducted a warmupsession with stretch exercises to prepare the participants for theevent. Lining up the contenders by categories, Edna McDuffie officiatedat the starting line.Seniors Learn Home Safety in Presentation SeriesBY CHRIS C. JENKINSStaff ReporterBY JUDY WEEKSFreelance ReporterHOLLYWOOD — As part of an ongoingseries, the Emergency Management Dept. andFire Rescue Prevention Division collaboratedfor a home safety presentation at the SeniorCenter June 25.Tribal Fire Rescue Inspector Bruce Brittonspoke to the Tribal seniors on a range of issuesand provided tips for the home; all as part ofnational home safety month.“This is a great way to get information outand teach the Tribal seniors about safety preparationthroughout the year,” said Hollywoodand Trail Emergency Management CoordinatorJason Dobronz. “They also enjoy the informationand we are able to get a lot out there toChris C. JenkinsTribal Fire Rescue Fire Inspector Bruce Britton (L) fields questions from the Tribal seniors.Results of theFirecracker Walk/RunSenior Citizen Handicap: First Place Winners: Claudia Doctor,Lydia Cypress, Ruby Osceola and Carol Cypress.Youth, Ages 8-12: Runners: 1. A.J. Tigertail; Walkers: 1. KaitlinOsceola, 2. Brandy Osceola, 3. Stanley Cypress III.Youth, Ages 13-17: Runners: 1.Tyler Tigertail, 2. RaganOsceola, 3. O’shaane Cypress.Adults, Ages 31-45: Male Runners: 1. Bernard Robbins;Female Runners: 1. Kathy Cypress, 2. Almira Billie, 3. BarbaraBillie; Male Walkers: 1. Charlie Cypress; Female Walkers: 1.Myra Jumper with Ezekiel in a stroller, 2. Carol B. Osceola, 3.Shelli Tigertail.Adults, Ages 46-59: Male Runners: 1. Ronnie B. Billie Sr.;Female Runners: 1. Shirley Clay; Male Walkers: 1. DavidCypress; Female Walkers: 1. Mary Tigertail, 2. Violet Jim, 3.Beverly Alumbaugh.Adults, Ages 60 and Older: Male Runners: 1. Paul Bowers Sr.;Female Runners: 1. Edna McDuffi e; Male Walkers: 1. MitchellCypress; Female Walkers: 1. Juanita Osceola, 2. Louise Billie,3. Louise Osceola.Community Members & Employees: Runners: 1. Gio Alvarez,2. Jesus Lizarraga, 3. Jorge Napoles, 4. Paul Backhouse, 5.Andrew Flynn; Walkers: 1. Marilyn Jumper, 2. Allen Hoffman,3. Brian Barton, 4. Harley Roberts, 5. Emilia Jumper.them.”The attendees also learned about tornado,lightening and heat wave precautions, smokealarm and fire extinguisher maintenance andpreparation throughout the day.“I was in the health and medical field foryears so I already knew some of the information,but it was a good refresher,” Tribal seniorEdna Bowers said.Britton emphasized that in the event of afire, firefighters make the safety of a Tribal citizena major priority.“Our concern is with them getting out,not putting the fire out,” he said. “We are verymuch focused on keeping the home safe also.”According to the Home Safety Council’s“State of Home Safety in America Report,”fires and burns are the third leading cause ofunintentional home injury and related deaths inthe U.S. each year.Some useful tips for smoke alarms includeremembering that smoke rises, mountingshould be high on walls or ceilings andceiling-mounted alarms should be installed atleast four inches away from the nearest wall.Wall-mounted alarms should be installed 4-12inches away from the ceiling. Do not installsmoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts toensure that they work properly and make surethe alarm is away from the path of steam frombathrooms and cooking vapors in the kitchen,it may cause “false alarms” when there is nota fire.Useful tips for fire extinguisher use include:choosing an extinguisher that will workon all types of fires, typically called “ABC”type extinguishers, choose the largest extinguisheryou can handle, the bigger the better,and mount the extinguisher near an exit doorand out of the reach of children.Community Members AttendInformational Rabies ClinicBY JUDY WEEKSFreelance ReporterIMMOKALEE — Members of theEnvironmental Health Dept. organizeda free rabies clinic for the Immokaleecommunity on June28 in the Health Dept.parking lot.The purpose ofthe clinic was to ensurethe safety andhealth of the Immokaleeresidents andtheir pets.The dreaded diseaseof rabies is extremelydebilitatingand fatal, if not treatedwithin a short periodof time following exposure.Highly contagious,it is spread bya bite or transfer ofsaliva from an infectedcreature to other animalsand humans.Although a nationwideprogram ofinoculation has greatlyreduced the number ofincidents in the pastseveral decades, totaleradication remains beyond reach. Vaccinatingdomestic animals and destroyingcarriers is the proven method ofcontrol. Until recently, it was necessaryto administer a booster each year, buta new vaccine has proven effective forthree years.Environmental Health has instituteda program to offer free rabies vaccinationsto Tribal citizens’ pets twice ayear on each of the reservations. Using aDental Program Hosts ExternsSUBMITTED BY THE SEMINOLE DENTALPROGRAMThe Seminole Tribal Dental Programhosted three dental students as apart of the Indian Health Service ExternshipProgram during the week of July6-10.Brigham Burton, who attends OhioState University, Carla Belgard, whoPhoto Submitted by the Seminole Dental Program(L-R, Front Row) Brigham Burton, MallorieWatson, (L-R, Back Row) Dr. Packer, TribalDental Program manager, and Carla Belgard.door-to-door marketing technique, AnimalControl and Wildlife Officer DonnaWilliams handed out flyers and spreadthe word about the clinic throughout Immokaleeduring the week preceding theevent.Helping to manthe booth, Dr. Oliver ofPinegate Veterinary inNaples provided valuableinformation topet owners regardingJudy WeeksImmokalee Tribal Council LiaisonElaine Aguilar brings her pet corgifor a rabies inoculation.recommended annualinoculations and wasprepared to administerthem onsite for a moderatefee.Setting an example,Immokalee TribalCouncil Liaison ElaineAguilar and her husband,Pete, were firstin line with their twodogs.EnvironmentalHealth Program ManagerPatrick Peck said:“Turnout was low, butthis is encouraging. Ourrecords indicate thatmany of the reservationpets have alreadyreceived the new threeyear vaccine, and therefore did not requireour services. This is an indicationthat our program is working.”“There were only a few cats, butseveral dogs were treated,” continuedPeck. “We even made a house call to oneresident who lacked the means to transporttheir pets. For those who missedthis clinic, please watch for flyers thatwill announce our return sometime inOctober.”attends Meharry Medical College inNashville, Tenn, and Mallori Watson,who attends the University of Mississippi’sSchool of Dentistry participatedin the externship program. All three arein their third year of dental school.Allowing students the opportunityto visit and sometimes provide carein Native American dental clinics is away to encourage them to select a publichealth career track after graduation.Currently, the Indian Health ServiceDental Program has a vacancy rate ofmore than 30 percent.During their time with the DentalProgram, the students were allowed todirectly observe dental care, both in theHollywood Dental Clinic and at the officeof a local periodontist. They alsoattended various lectures and participatedin a hands-on session with dentalimplants and a suturing course using orangesas their patients.The students also enjoyed a dayof Seminole culture at the Big CypressReservation. Following a visit to theAh-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and LivingVillage, the students had lunch and enjoyedan airboat ride at Billie SwampSafari.Understanding Pandemics, EpidemicsBY AVA JOHNContributing Writer[Editor’s Note: Ava John works forthe Tribe’s Environmental Health Program.The opinions she expresses areher own. If you would like to ask a question,please write to avajohn@semtribe.com.]A pandemic is an outbreak of globalproportions. It happens when a newvirus emerges among humans and thencauses serious illness and is easily humantransmissible through person-topersoncontact.A pandemic is different from an epidemicoutbreak in that a pandemic coversa much wider geographical area, oftenworldwide. A pandemic also infectsmany more people than an epidemic.An epidemic is specific to one city,region or country, while a pandemicgoes much further than national borders.During an epidemic, the number ofpeople who become infected rises wellbeyond what is expected within a countryor a part of a country. When the infectiontakes place in several countriesat the same time it can then become apandemic.A pandemic is usually caused bya new virus strain or subtype — a virushumans either have no immunityagainst, or very little immunity. If humanimmunity is low or non-existent,the virus can easily spread around theworld because it becomes easily transmissible.In the case of influenza, seasonaloutbreaks or epidemics are generallycaused by subtypes of a virus that isalready circulating among people. Pandemics,on the other hand, are generallycaused by new subtypes; these subtypeshave not circulated among people before.Pandemics generally cause muchhigher numbers of deaths than epidemics.The social disruption, economicloss, and general hardship caused by apandemic are much higher than what anepidemic can cause.A pandemic can emerge, for example,when the Influenza A virus changessuddenly. Experts call this an antigenicshift, which will result in a new InfluenzaA virus subtype. This new influenzasubtype needs one characteristicto cause a pandemic; it must be easilyhuman transmissible.After the pandemic has emergedand spread, the virus subtype circulatesamong humans for several years, causingoccasional flu epidemics. These willnot usually become more than epidemicsbecause humans have developed immunityover time.Using information gathered byhealth agencies around the world thatmonitors the behavior and movementof the virus, the World Health Organization(WHO) uses a six phase influenzaprogram to raise the pandemic alertlevel.Phase 6 is WHO’s highest alert leveland means a pandemic is underway. Amove to Phase 6 is not an indication onthe severity of the virus, however, doesmean that the extent of global spreadfulfills the definition of a pandemic.During the 20th Century, the emergenceof new Influenza A virus subtypescaused three pandemics, all of whichspread around the world within one yearof being detected.The most recent pandemic wasdeclared by WHO in June 2009. Thisnew strain of Influenza A virus subtype,known as H1N1 or “Swine Flu,” wasidentified in April 2009 and has causedmild infection globally.The Environmental Health Programrequests that Tribal citizens callthem at (954) 965-1300, Ext. 10326with any environmental health issues.
THE HEALTHY SENIOR BY FRED CICETTI[Editor’s Note: Fred Cicetti is a syndicated columnistwho writes about issues concerning seniorcitizens’ health. This is parts 1 and 2 of a 2-part columnabout understanding sunscreens and sun exposure.The opinions he expresses are his own. If youwould like to ask a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com. All Rights Reserved ©2009 byFred Cicetti.]Q: There are lots of sunblocks out there with SPFnumbers on them. What exactly do these numbersmean?A: Sunblocks, or sunscreens, work to prevent thedamage of ultraviolet (UV) rays, an invisible componentof sunlight. There are three types of UV rays:UVA, UVB and UVC.UVA is the most abundant of the three ultravioletrays at the earth’s surface. These rays penetratethrough the outer skin. Many of the UVB rays areabsorbed by the stratospheric ozone layer, so therearen’t as many of these at the earth’s surface as theUVA rays. UVB rays don’t penetrate as far as UVArays but are still harmful. UVC radiation is extremelyhazardous to skin, but it is completely absorbed bythe ozone layer.Sunburn and suntan are signs of skin damage.Suntans appear after the sun’s rays have already killedsome cells and damaged others. UV rays do moreharm than damaging skin. They can also cause cataracts,wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer.Sunscreens are given SPF (Sun Protection Factor)ratings that tell you how well they protect youfrom damaging rays from the sun. The SPF ratingscan be as low as 2 and as high as 100 or more.Here’s how the ratings work: If you apply a sunscreenrated at SPF 2, you will double the time it takesfor your skin to burn. A sunscreen rated at SPF 15 willmultiply the burning time by 15.Dermatologists strongly recommend using abroad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) sunscreenwith an SPF of 15 or greater year-round forall skin types.The SPF number indicates the screening abilityfor UVB rays only. Research is being to done to establisha system to measure UVA protection.There is a point of diminishing returns with sunscreens.Here’s how it goes:A sunscreen with an SPF of 2 screens 50 percentof UVB rays; a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 screens93 percent of UVB rays; a sunscreen with an SPF of30 screens 97 percent of UVB rays, a sunscreen withan SPF of 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays; and, asunscreen with an SPF of 100 or more blocks 99 percentof UVB rays.Not applying enough sunscreen can seriouslyreduce your protection. You should use an ounce,or about a palm’s full, on your body to gain the fullprotection indicated by the SPF on the product. Also,dermatologists advise reapplication every two hoursor after swimming or sweating.It seems logical that, if you use half the requiredsunscreen, you will get only half the protection, butthat doesn’t seem to be true. A study in the BritishJournal of Dermatology found that you get the protectionof only the square root of the SPF. So, in theory,if you use a half ounce of sunscreen rated at 64, youwon’t get the protection of an SPF 32, but only theprotection of an SPF 8.In addition to applying a sunscreen, you shouldprotect yourself by avoiding the sun between 10 a.m.and 4 p.m., wearing protective clothing and wraparoundsunglasses, avoiding sunlamps and tanningbeds, and checking your skin regularly for changesin the size, shape, color or feel of birthmarks, molesand spots.Ultraviolet (UV) rays, an invisible component ofsunlight, can cause skin damage, cataracts, wrinkles,age spots, and skin cancer. These rays also impair theskin’s immune system.UV rays can hurt you on cloudy as well as sunnydays. UV rays also bounce off surfaces of the ocean,sand, snow and cement.One of the surest ways to reduce your exposureto UV rays is to stay out of the sun when it is thestrongest. Those times in North America are between10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the late spring and early summer.Other ways to protect yourself are to wearprotective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat,long-sleeved shirt and long pants. You should use asunscreen rated at SPF 15 or more. Eye doctors recommendwraparound sunglasses that provide 100percent UV ray protection.You should also pay attention to the UV Indexdeveloped by the National Weather Service and theEnvironmental Protection Agency. This index assessesrisk of overexposure to UV rays.The UV Index is calculated daily and is reportedby the press. It can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html, where you can plug in yourown zip code to find out the index rating in your area.The following are the index levels: 2 or less: lowdanger for the average person, 3-5: moderate risk ofharm, 6-7: high risk of harm, 8-10: very high risk ofharm, and, 11 or more: extreme risk of harm.It is possible to go outside when the UV Index is11 or higher but you must be sure to take every steppossible to protect yourself, meaning use sunscreenand wear hats, long sleeves and sunglasses.Not everyone reacts to the sun in the same way.The level of danger calculated for the basic categoriesof the UV Index are for a person with Type II skin.The following is a list of the skin types: I: alwaysburns, never tans, sensitive to sun exposure, II: burnseasily, tans minimally, III: burns moderately, tansgradually to light brown, IV: burns minimally, alwaystans well to moderately brown, V: rarely burns, tansprofusely to dark, and, VI: Never burns, deeply pigmented,least sensitiveWhat is a suntan?When UV rays penetrate the skin’s inner layerthey generate the production of melanin, a dark pigment.The melanin eventually moves toward the outerlayers of the skin and becomes visible as a tan. Everytime you tan, you damage your skin and this damageaccumulates over time.There is no safe tan. What some call a “base tan”may actually increase the chances you’ll get a burn,because you’re likely to stay out longer without properlyprotecting your skin.You should stay away from tanning beds and sunlampsbecause they emit UV rays that can cause seriouslong-term skin damage. The amount of the radiationproduced during indoor tanning is similar to thesun’s production and in some cases may be greater.Many tanning salons are unregulated. They allowcustomers access to tanning beds without supervisionor eye protection.July 31, 2009 • The Seminole Tribune • 7BBeware the Dangers of Extreme HeatBY BRIAN BROWNContributing Writer[Editor’s Note: Brian Brown is the Tribe’s Chief ofthe EMS Division. The opinions he expresses are hisown. If you would like to ask a question, please write tobrianbrown@semtribe.com.]Our bodies normally cool by sweating. But undersome conditions, sweating just isn’t enough. In suchcases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly. Veryhigh body temperatures may damage the brain or othervital organs and can lead to death.Several factors affect your body’s ability to coolitself during extremely hot weather. When the humidityis high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly, whichprevents your body from releasing heat quickly. Otherconditions related to risk include age, obesity, fever,dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation,sunburn and prescription drug and alcohol use.After the storm, it’s important to balance yourclean-up activities with measures that help your body’scooling mechanisms and prevent heat-related illnessWhat Is Extreme Heat?Temperatures that are 10 degrees or more above theaverage high temperature for your region and last forseveral weeks are defined as extreme heat. Excessivelydry and hot conditions can provoke dust storms and lowvisibility. Droughts occur when a long period passeswithout substantial rainfall. A heat wave combined witha drought is a very dangerous situation.During Hot WeatherTo protect your health when temperatures are extremelyhigh, remember to keep cool and use commonsense. The following tips are important:Drink Plenty of FluidsDuring hot weather you’ll need to increase yourfluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don’t waituntil you’re thirsty to drink. In a hot environment, drinktwo to four glasses at 16-32 ounces each of cool fluidseach hour. If your doctor generally limits the amount offluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how muchyou should drink while the weather is hot.Avoid Alcoholic, Sugary BeveragesDon’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or largeamounts of sugar. They actually cause you to lose morebody fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because theycan cause stomach cramps.Replace Salt and MineralsHeavy sweating removes salt and minerals fromthe body. These are necessary for your body and mustbe replaced. If you must exercise, drink two to fourglasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sportsbeverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose insweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk withyour doctor before drinking a sports beverage or takingsalt tablets.Wear Appropriate Clothing and SunscreenChoose lightweight, light-colored and loose-fittingclothing. Besides causing pain and skin damage, sunburnaffects your body’s ability to cool itself and causesa loss of body fluids. If you must go outdoors, protectyourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat,which also keeps you cooler, along with sunglasses andapply sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior togoing out. Continue to reapply it according to the packagedirections.Schedule Outdoor Activities CarefullyIf you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdooractivity to morning and evening hours. Try to rest oftenin shady areas so that your body’s thermostat will havea chance to recover.Pace YourselfIf you aren’t used to working in a hot environment,start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertionin the heat makes your heart pound and leaves yougasping for breath, stop all activity. Get into a cool areaor at least into the shade and rest, especially if you becomelightheaded, confused, weak or faint.Stay Cool IndoorsStay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an airconditioned place. If your home doesn’t have air conditioning,try to go to the shopping mall or public library.Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can helpyour body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.Electric fans provide some comfort, but when the temperatureis in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heatrelatedillness. Taking a cool shower or moving to anair conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.Use the Buddy SystemWhen working in the heat, monitor the conditionof your neighbors and have someone do the same foryou. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to becomeconfused or lose consciousness. If you’re 65 years ofage or older, have someone check on you twice a day. Ifyou know someone in this age group, check on them atleast twice a day.Monitor Those at High RiskAlthough anyone can suffer from heat-related illness,some people are at greater risk than others. Visitthese individuals at least twice a day and watch themfor signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants andyoung children need much more frequent watching.Infants and children up to 4 years of age are sensitiveto the effects of high temperatures and need othersto provide adequate liquids.People 65 years of age or older may not compensatefor heat stress efficiently and are less likely to senseand respond to changes in temperature.People who are overweight may be prone to heatsickness because they tend to retain more body heat.People who overexert during work or exercise maybecome dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.People who are physically ill, especially with heartdisease or high blood pressure, or who take certainmedications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poorcirculation, may be affected by extreme heat.Adjust to the EnvironmentKeep in mind that any sudden change in temperaturewill be stressful to your body. You will havea greater tolerance for heat if you limit your physicalactivity until you become accustomed to the heat. If youtravel to a hotter climate, allow several days to becomeacclimated before attempting any vigorous activity andwork up to it gradually.Use Common SenseRemember to keep cool and use common sense:Avoid hot foods and heavy meals that add heat.Drink plenty of fluids and replace salts and mineralsin your body.Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothingand shade their heads and faces.Limit sun exposure during mid-day hours and inplaces of potential severe exposure such as beaches.Do not leave children, or pets in a parked car.Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, andleave the water in a shady area.Even short periods of high temperatures can causeserious health problems.SEEKING ORAL HISTORIESFOR MUSEUM COLLECTION ANDVETERAN’S MEMORIAL BUILDING EXHIBITThe Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is seeking to conduct oral history interviews with Seminoleveterans and family members of veterans. The interviews will become a part of the existingoral history collection of the Tribal Museum. In the interview, you may choose what youwould like to speak about. If you give permission, the interview might be considered foruse in the exhibits to be created within the new Veteran’s Memorial Building in Brighton.We hope that Seminole veterans will share stories for the benefit of current and futuregenerations, as we look to honor your dedication and service.To participate contact:Elizabeth LowmanOral History CoordinatorPhone: 863-903-1113 ext. 12210elizabethlowman@semtribe.com
Page 1 and 2: Fourth of July FestivitiesAround th
Page 3 and 4: 2A • The Seminole Tribune • Jul
Page 9: 8A • The Seminole Tribune • Jul
Page 12 and 13: FATHER’S DAYFT. LAUDERDALE — Co
Page 14 and 15: 2B • The Seminole Tribune • Jul
Page 16 and 17: 4B • The Seminole Tribune • Jul
Page 20 and 21: July 31, 2009 • The Seminole Trib
Page 22 and 23: v MARTIAL ARTSFrom page 1CThen Guti
Page 24 and 25: Tribal July Fourth Golf TournamentD
Page 26 and 27: July 31, 2009 • The Seminole Trib
Page 28 and 29: HOLLYWOOD — The competitiondidn
Page 30 and 31: 2E • The Seminole Tribune • Jul

Brittany Smith Crowned Miss Florida Seminole at 52nd Annual ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?