The Acorn Adams County HCE Newsletter July 2013

2013-14 ACHCE Board

Ginny Miller, President 217-222-5953 dwginmiller@att.net

Sherry Sparks, 1st VP 217-434-8027 sparks3@adams.net

Linda Lavery, 2nd VP 217-242-8951 llavery65@yahoo.com

Rhonda Fugate, Secretary 217-336-4034 numbers_crunched_82@yahoo.com

Melba Funk, Treasurer 217-336-4191 jfunk@adams.net

Anne Willimann, Family Issues 217-222-2762 gnawil01@comcast.net

Sandy McKelvie, Cultural Arts 217-936-2767 mckelvie@adams.net

Carol Lichtsinn, Ways & Means 217-334-5247 carol.lichtsinn@yahoo.com

Suzanne Williams, Public Info. 217-653-2292 suzannem204@yahoo.com

Judy Milfs, Subject Matter 217-224-7763 fortyford@comcast.net

District Directors West—Pat Vaughn, 217-224-1355 sqdnck@comcast.net South—Rhonda Fugate, 217-336-4034 numbers_crunched_82@yahoo.com East—Joyce Dietrich, 217-593-7194 North—Rosie Eickelschulte, 217-223-5221 ikes8092@yahoo.com

Acorn Newsletter Editor—Amy Looten, 217-228-0322 amy@quincychamber.org Mailing—Mary Voorhis, 217-224-0084 mrv3129@adams.net

A group of homeschooling mothers who want to “celebrate and increase their skills in homemaking and teach these values and skills to their children” has formed Adams County’s newest HCE Unit. This new unit, named Creative Homemakers, was approved at the May 14 ACHCE Board meeting and is the first new unit since the Sunshine Girls formed in 2008. “Anyone who desires to learn may join our group,” says Plainville Nite HCE Member Alona Peters, who is joining the new unit with her daughter, Anna, and eight others. “Mothers must accompany their children. Our meetings will be held in Quincy, but members may be from surrounding areas.” ACHCE President Ginny Miller says that HCE’s focus on home and community is a good fit for this unit. “We work to promote social and economic well being in our homes and neighborhoods,” she says.

“HCE provides unique and inventive lessons that provide members the opportunity to learn current and relevant information. We want to help our members work, support and promote the communities in which they serve.”

The new group will meet on the first Thursday of the month from 2:30-4:00 p.m. at the Adams County Farm Bureau beginning in September. For more information about joining this group, email Peters at rapeters@adams.net or call 217-656-3907.

Home-School Mothers/Daughters Form New

HCE Unit to begin in September

Alona Peters of the Plainville Nite HCE Unit announces the formation of a new HCE Unit at the Annual Meeting April 23.

Dues Increase to Take Effect September 2013 As the result of an increase in state dues and a decline in our own

membership, Adams County HCE members voted at the Annual Meeting April 23 to raise local membership dues by $3 for 2013-2014 to $15 per person. Mailbox/Corresponding membership will remain at $15.

“You really don’t have much choice but to raise dues,” said District 4 Director Mary Eustace at the meeting. “The state will charge $2 more per person next year. Your county is mandated to have a balanced budget.”

Despite decreasing numbers over the past several years, Adams County HCE has not decreased programming. This small increase will ensure that HCE programs continue.

In addition to member recognition and installation of new officers at the Annual Meeting on April 23, the membership approved changes to the organization’s Constitution, ByLaws and Standing Rules and Policies:

“Brown” was deleted from the name of the organization.

The specific amount of membership fees was deleted

The second vice president’s mandates to provide membership cards and member packets to new members were deleted.

The entertainment was a slide show of HCE members. See the video at http://youtu.be/s2403GJWhlw.

ACHCE President Ginny Miller

Thirty-seven members turned in 8,807 volunteer hours for 2012-2013. District Director Mary Eustace challenged Adams County to exceed Pike County’s volunteer numbers of 21,000.

2013-14 officers (l-r) put on their HCE “hats” following installation: Carol Lichtsinn, Ways and Means; Sandy McKelvie, Cultural Arts; Anne Willimann, Family Issues; Mel-ba Funk, Treasurer; Rhonda Fugate, Secretary, Linda Lavery, 2nd Vice President; Sherry Sparks, 1st Vice President, Ginny Miller, President and Judy Milfs, Subject Mat-ter.

Attendance tops 120 at Annual Meeting

The Quincy Senior and Family Resource Center was the location for the 2013 ACHCE

Annual Meeting. One hundred twenty-seven reservations were made for the event.

These HCE members walked around

Adams County...several times!!

Scholarship winner Sullivan Finlay with his grandmother and Family Issues Chairman Anne Willimann.

District 4 Director Mary Eustace issued a challenge to Adams County: Try to beat Pike County’s volunteer numbers (last year, Pike County HCE recorded 21,000 volunteer hours).

Decorations were provided

by the Sunshine Girls

Adams County HCE collected 19 units of blood at its Blood Drive April 5. Thank you to everyone who attended and/or helped recruit donors.

Relay for Life Team Raises $1,784

for American Cancer Society

HCE members are invited to the dress rehearsal performance of “Sylvia” at the Quincy Community Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The performance will begin at 7:30 and runs approximately two hours.

Tickets are $10 for HCE members and $16 for non-members. Call Sandy McKelvie, Cultural Arts Chairman, at 217-936-2767 for more information. This would be a terrific opportunity to invite a new member to an outing with your unit!

“Sylvia” is the story of Greg, a man on the verge of a mid-life crisis, who falls in love with a stray dog (played by a woman) and brings her home. Greg’s wife doesn’t want the dog and she becomes a major bone of contention between husband and wife. You’ll be laughing out loud while getting the straight “poop from the pooch” in this hilarious and touching comedy by A.R. Gurney.

HCE Members Invited

to QCT Performance of

“Sylvia” on Sept. 11

Your Challenge: Record EVERY volunteer hour!

The Certified Volunteer program is a statewide HCE activity that runs Jan. 1-Dec. 31 of each year. HCE members are asked to track the number of hours they volunteer to show the significant impact our members have on their communities.

At this year’s Annual Meeting, District 4 Director Mary Eustace challenged Adams County to beat Pike County. In 2012, Pike County recorded more than 21,000 hours, so we’ve got our work cut out for us!

We really want to put Pike County HCE in the dust! So, if you haven’t been writing down your hours on the calendar, go back to Jan. 1 and reconstruct them. Record hours for every HCE meeting attended (plus travel time and prep time) as well as any other volunteering you do, such as work for your church, the hospital or senior center in your area. Have

you baked cookies for a fundraising sale, volunteered for Relay for Life, your local food bank, or the American Red Cross? Those hours count! (Volunteering for family activities do NOT count.) You do not have to record the activity; just the number of hours you worked.

We know that every member does something! Let’s try for 100% participation! We know our members volunteer significantly more than our 8,807 hours from last year show. Just write it down!

Go Adams County HCE!

Adams County HCE Relay for Life team members raised $1,224 in donations plus the earnings from the Paloma Pink and Powerful Party last fall for a total of $1,784 for the American Cancer Society. The Relay for Life was held June 14-15. Members of the team, pictured above, include, front row: Edna Tenhouse, Joyce Gore, Marissa Mintle (little girl),

Gena Mintle and back row: Sandy Zimmerman, Marilyn Heins, Rhonda Fugate, Sandy McKelvie, Ginny Miller, and Anne Willimann. Marissa sold 20 laps at $10 each. She and her mother Gena each walked 22 laps.

Congratulations, HCE!!

Members of the HCE Quilt Club meet regularly at the Round Barn at the Adams County Fairgrounds to work on projects. In June, they had more than 60 visitors! The HCE quilt is covered with clear plastic for easy viewing. Check it out when you go to the Adams County Fair this summer!

The next day for quilting at the barn is July 14. All quilters are welcome.

The Paloma HCE held their Fun Day on June 4. They toured a company called Press Yours On You and watched as the owner printed their t-shirts. They then toured the Vil-lage Vineyard and Winery and the Bed and Breakfast Inn. Pictured above (l-r): Linda Lavery, Carol Lichtsinn, Goldie Musick, There-sa Walker, Florence Dietrich, Edna Tenhouse, Anne Willimann, Waneta Farlow, Marjorie Martin, Bob Walker, Gena Mintle and Joni Kemphaus. Front row, future HCE members: Journey Kemphaus, Mariah Mentle and Marissa Mentle.

At John’s Café, the group met their newest member, Elizabeth Humke and daughter, Kinley.

Paloma HCE Enjoys Full Day of Fun

Heart Health is

State Issue Focus The Illinois Association of

HCE has announced that the Family Issues topic for 2013-14 will be “Heart Health” with a focus on exercise for your heart.

“We have become a society that would like to be healthier, but lack the motivation to make strides to improve our health,” says Adams County HCE Family Issues Chair Anne Willimann. “We hear so much in the news about young people who are overweight in epidemic proportions. As mothers, grandmothers and aunts, we should strive to set an example for young people and others we encounter daily to help them improve their overall health and fitness.”

A year-long focus will be reflected in educational programs and special

events, especially in February, which is Heart Month.

See page 5 of this ACORN newsletter for information about Walk Around Adams County and how any exercise that gets your heart pumping can “count” toward this effort.

Keep watching the ACORN newsletter for more information.

HCE Members have crocheted 20 caps for Blessing Hospital Cancer Center patients. Cultural Arts Chairman Sandy McKelvie discovered this project at the State Conference this spring. If you are interested in joining the effort, contact Sandy for the pattern. Email her at mckelvie@adams.net or call 217-936-2767. You can also find the pattern on the State HCE’s website (www.iahce.org) under Lessons/Projects.

Dandy Songs

"Yankee Doodle," one of many patriotic songs in the United States, was originally sung prior to the Revolution by British military officers who mocked the unorganized and buckskin-wearing “Yankees” with whom they fought during the French and Indian War.

Several HCE members have asked if they could count water exercises as part of the Walk Around Adams County program. Yes!! So, how do you convert an hour of water exercise into steps?

Depending on your stride, one mile equals 1900-2400 steps, so let’s use an average of 2100 steps in a mile. (If you have a pedometer, use your own figures.)

The chart below shows the step equivalent for one minute of a particular exercise. Multiple that figure by the number of minutes you exercise, then divide by 2100 to get your mileage.

For example, the step equivalent for water aerobics is 121 steps per minute. If your water aerobics class is 60 minutes long, the formula would look like this: 60 minutes x121 steps = 7260 divided by 2100 = 3.45 miles.

Activity Steps/Min (Avg)

Bicycling (leisurely, 10-11.9 mph) 100

Bicycling (moderate, 12-13.9 mph) 200

Dancing, socially 93

Line Dancing 139

Aerobics (high impact) 182

Aerobics (low impact) 125

Aerobics (moderate) 154

Elliptical trainer 203

Swimming, leisure 133

Swimming, moderate effort 174

Water Aerobics 121

Water Jogging 242

Yoga 100

Grocery Shopping 67

Housework, light 72

Housework, mopping floors 51

Housework, vacuuming 101

Housework, washing windows 87

Painting/papering 78

Washing the car 87

Cooking 61

Gardening, heavy 174

Gardening, light 73

Gardening, moderate 116

Hoeing in a garden 96

Mowing 160

Raking leaves 125

Yard Work, general 145

Shoveling snow, heavy 278

Shoveling snow, light 133

Shoveling snow, moderate 174

Family Issues Chair Anne Willimann has a YMCA chart with more than 90 activities that get our hearts pumping. If your activity is not listed here, call Anne at 217-222-2762 or email her at gnawil01@comcast.net and she will look it up for you. This year’s Walk Around Adams County program began April 1 and continues through March 31, 2014.

Pedometer Step Equivalents

for Exercises and Activities