Sunday, September 18, 2011

DAR Luncheons

Back row: Phyllis Wilson, Harriet Barlow, Helen Taylor, Barb Carrico, Diane Kuebert, Gwen Causey, Bonnie Becmer.
Front row: Nancy Glielmi, Madred Boyer, Ann Newton and Nora Hickam.
The Brunswick Town Chapter of the DAR got together this summer on August 22nd for a  luncheon to become better aquainted. The group in the picture below got together in June of 2011.
All DAR members are encouraged to view "Today's DAR" video at this web site:
http://www.dar.org/natsociety/todaysdar.cfm

Phyllis Wilson, public relations chair invited a group of ladies to attend a luncheon at The Reserve Golf Club this summer, L to R: Phyllis Wilson, Trudy Tanzillo, Vicki Kay, Nora Hickam, Bonnie Becmer, and Jackie Craft.

Front row: Susan Hadenchuk, Jackie Craft, Ginny Cannon,
back row: Connie Davidson, Ann Warren, Diane Price and Phyllis Wilson









This group of ladies got together after the September 14th DAR meeting in Southport at the Methodist Church. The ladies got together to get better acquained. They dined at Ports of Call in Southport and had a delicious lunch. All the ladies left with a feeling of being better acquainted.
They were all encourage to visit http://www.dar.org/natsociety/todaysdar.cfm to learn more about Today's DAR by watching the video.



WOMEN’S ISSUE ESSAY CONTEST 2011/2012



Share your experience in relation to family, career or health. Only “one” essay per member per year will be accepted.

1.  Essay must be titled, typed, and no more than 1800 words. All words count and only essays will be accepted.

2.  A cover page must give the member’s name, chapter, national number, address, telephone number, email address (if available), essay title, and category (family, career, or health). Any submission failing to meet the requirements will be disqualified.

3.  All entries must reach Jan Scarborough, our Women’s Issues chairman by February 1, 2012. Her address is:  5977 Dunbar Road in Granite Falls, NC 28630.  She will send the best entry from each category to her respective Division vice chairman by April 1. The Division vice chairman will select the best essay from each category from all received and send the selected entries to the corresponding national vice chairman of Family, Career, or Health. Winners will be announced at Continental Congress.


submitted by Nadine Bray, Women's Issue Chair for Brunswick Town Chapter

OSTEOPOROSIS

Ann Warren, Nadine Bray, Diane Price and Connie Davidson look over Ostoperosis information.

Nadine Bray, the Women’s Issues chairman of the Brunsiwck Town Chapter shared some information on Osteoporosis and provided handouts related to improving your bone health, calcium supplements, preventing falls, and sources of calcium.  There is also a comprehensive booklet which provides a guide to prevention and treatment.

 In May the National Osteoporosis Foundation and Harris Interactive released the results of a survey about osteoporosis awareness and prevention.  Overall, they felt the survey showed promising results, with most respondents indicating they were aware of osteoporosis, its risk factors and how to prevent the disease.  However, 34 percent of respondents indicated they had never heard of osteoporosis at all, showing more work needed to be done.

 Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans.  Ten million Americans currently live with the disease and nearly 34 million are estimated to have low bone density.  Of the 10 million with the disease, 8 million are women. 

 Osteoporosis, which means “porous bones,” causes bones to become weak and brittle – so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture.

 A common result of osteoporosis is fractures – most of them occurring in the spine, hip or wrist.  It’s never too late – or too early – to do something about osteoporosis.  You each can take steps to keep bones strong and healthy throughout life.

 In early stages of bone loss, you usually have no pain or other symptoms.  But once bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you may have osteoporosis signs and symptoms that include:

 


· Back pain, which can be severe, as a result of a fractured or collapsed vertebra
· Loss of height over time
· A stooped posture
· Fracture of the vertebra, wrist, hip or other bone

Because osteoporosis rarely causes signs or symptoms until it’s advanced, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a bone density test if you are:


·         A women older than age 65, regardless of risk factors
·         Older than age 50 with a history of a broken bone
·         Take medications such as prednisone or anti-seizure drugs that are associated with osteoporosis
·         A postmenopausal women who has recently stopped taking hormone therapy, or
·         A woman who experienced early menopause
·         A post-menopausal woman with at least one risk factor for osteoporosis

Some of these risk factors you can change, others you can’t.

 Risk factors you can change:


  • Calcium intake
  • Tobacco use
  • Eating disorders
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Corticosteroid and other medications

 Risk factors you can’t change:

            ·         Being a woman
            ·         Getting older
            ·         Race
            ·         Family history of osteoporosis
            ·         Frame size
            ·         Thyroid hormone
            ·         Medical conditions and procedures that affect bone health

 In its press release, the National Osteoporosis called on all Americans to get educated about osteoporosis – understand the risk factors, learn how to prevent the disease and take action.  That means:


        ·        Striving to get enough calcium and Vitamin D every day
        ·         Do regular, bone healthy, weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises
        ·         Don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol
        ·         Talk to your healthcare provider about your chance of getting osteoporosis and ask when you should have a bone density test, and
        ·        Take an osteoporosis medicine when appropriate

 It also means talking to family and friends.  Many people do not realize that osteoporosis is often considered a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences – approximately 85 – 90 percent of adult bone mass is acquired by 18 in girls and 20 in boys.  That’s why I stated earlier – it’s never too early or too late to take steps to improve bone health and why parents and grandparents alike are encouraged to have a conversation with their children and grandchildren about bone health and osteoporosis.

submitted by Nadine Bray, DAR Women's Issues Chairman

September 14th DAR Meeting


The guest speaker for the September 14th DAR meeting was Terry Ward, a DAR Docent, who gave a program on the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C.  Her informative talk included a slide show and virtual tour of the museum highlighting the North Carolina Room.