connections january 2010
DESCRIPTION
Whole Life Network Newspaper A fellowship of people serving the community by offering education programs and a support network to those integrating personal wellness, spiritual awareness, and the sacredness of our environment.TRANSCRIPT
Membership Meeting Announced Your Input Welcomed and Encouraged
Our founder and first president, Becky Lindsey, has on several oc-casions called the Whole Life Network a shape shifter that over its twenty-one year history has continuously reinvented itself to re-main a viable element in our community. And for the new year of 2010, the current Board of Directors has set in motion a plan to once again change course for the Whole Life Network. Our monthly publication, Connections, has become increasingly popular in past years due to the diligent input from our President, Roland Holzwarth. Our intent is to capitalize on the success of Connections to forge a partnership with all of the non-profits in our community. On behalf of the area’s non-profits, we will dis-seminate through our monthly newsletter information to the general public on relevant operations, meetings, events and activities.
Want to help with this effort of add your ideas to the new plan of action? Come to the annual membership meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening, January 21st, beginning at 6:00 pm. This year our meeting will be at the community room of the Region 10 office. It is suggested that you park on North 3rd. Street and use the side entrance. As we are all busy at this time of the year we will not have a Pot Luck dinner. We plan to review the changes made this year and plan our future as the networking leader for Montrose and the surrounding counties. You can contribute your input to this exciting process! A short business meeting will be conducted and we will elect the new Board members for 2010. Be a part of this important process and help us move the Whole Life Network into another decade of service to our community. Call Larry at 240-0234 for more information. The WLN Board of Directors
2 Networking the Western Slope for Healthy Communities January 2010
Leisure LEISURELEISURELEISURE
CALENDARCALENDARCALENDAR
Second Sunday Cinema is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the community by showing artistic and independent films. When: The Second Sunday of Every Month Time: 1:00 PM Location: Fox Theater- Penthouse
Capitalism: A Love Story, January 10 Filmmaker Michael Moore (Sicko, Fahrenheit 9/11) takes on capitalism's roots, the floun-dering U.S. economy, and 2008's global financial meltdown and subsequent bank bailout in this rousing documentary. Combining stories about those who suffer most from Corporate America's greed and insatiable thirst for profits and the people most responsible for myriad crises, Moore embarks on another shocking fact-finding rampage. Runtime: 127 minutes. Rated R for some language.
*What You Don’t Know About Recycling*
Irm Schu-bert, career recycling expert, will speak about the history
and future of recycling
Cheryl Gibson, former Recycling Educational Coordinator for the City of Montrose and member of Altrusa Environmental Committee, will talk
about local projects
Thursday, January 7th 7:00 PM
January 7th, 2010
Blue Sky Music Presents
Smuggler's every Tuesday at 7:00pm
Camp Robber Cafe's every Wednesday at 6:00 pm
Canyon Creek Bed and Breakfast every Thursday at 6:30 pm
Remington's every Friday 5
Cazwella's every Friday at 5
Red Barn every Friday at 8:30pm
Belly every Saturday at 9:00 pm - Smuggler‘s—Saturday
See ya on the radio: 89.1, 90.9, or www.kvnf.org Mondays from Noon - 3
Special Events
Friday - January 15
Jamie Wilson & Jason
Eady and The Wayward Apostles - Turn Of The
Century Saloon
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Saturday - January 16
Jonny Burke & The Band Of Heathens - Turn Of The Century
Saloon ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Saturday - January 30
Donny Morales Blues Band & Kelley Hunt -
*Study Group Organizing *
*/from Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth./*
by David C. Korten On Tuesday, January 12,
2010 at 6:30 pm
A study group will be Org-anizing to read and discuss
David C Korten's book
Agenda for a New Economy
at 627 N. 9th Street, Montrose, CO
If you are interested please call
Stu at 249-3989 or
Cynthia at 462-3112
Western Slope Concert Series will presented
at the Pavilion in 2010: The Polish Violin Virtuoso
Thursday, January 7, 2010
- 7:30 pm
&
Romania Flair: Cello & Piano Passion
Thursday, February 18,
2010 - 7:30 pm
Whole Life Network 2010 Potluck Social: January 17th, 2010, 5:00pm
Pot Lock will be held at Stanlee Smith’s place. Please RSVP before January 13th. For information and directions call Stanlee at (970) 252-0460
Let the Montrose City Council know what your opinion is about the 100’ buffer
Here are the contact addresses for your local city officials:
Erica Lewis Kennedy, council member: Email: [email protected], Phone:249-6364 Kathy Ellis, council member, Email : [email protected], Phone: 240-3881
Jose Abeyta, mayor, Email : [email protected], Phone: 249-8909 Gail Marvel, council member, Email : [email protected], Phone: 249-4443 Ed Ulibarri, council member, Email: [email protected], Phone: 240-8057
Marry Watt, city manager, Email: [email protected], Phone: 240-1420
“The Uncompahgre River is one of Montrose’s great, but hidden assets. It flows through the City in a broad, meander-ing pattern, lined with tall cottonwood trees, and a variety of other riparian vege-tation. Resident wildlife, including deer, smaller mammals, raptors and other birds, and aquatic species all use the river for habitat and a movement corridor...” —2008 Comprehensive Plan
How will future generations in Montrose see its parks, trails, and riverway corridor? Will they find them useful, healthy, and well protected? Will they be indicators of a healthy community, contented residents, and a vibrant business envi-ronment? These things are all possible if we act now to protect them.
“a 100-foot buffer should be maintained be-tween the river and any pavement or con-structed structures;” (2008 Comprehensive Plan, p. 9-5) [A buffer is defined as open space from river’s edge to any pavement or structures.]
Good regulations resulting in a well protected riverway provide benefits to the public, and also to land owners and developers. River protection, in the form of a buffer that provides pleasant sce-nic vistas, space for wildlife and protection from runoff can enhance the value of all properties in the river corridor. Unfortunately, many proper-ties currently fall far short of their potential. The city council and administration are well aware of the opportunities to enhance this won-derful asset, and have worked to direct new de-velopment and redevelopment of private lands to achieve this goal. The value of the river is recog-nized in the Comprehensive Plan updated in March 2008. Numerous public meetings have been held since and citizens clearly support pro-tecting and enhancing the river. When proposed regulations became controversial, the city appointed several citizen volunteers to a Montrose River Corridor Work Group to come up with a plan to help implement the Comprehensive Plan as related to the river. The Comprehensive Plan recommends a 100 foot buffer until a river master plan can be developed. Council asked the work group to recommend policies that would protect the 100 foot buffer as an interim measure.
The working group’s recommendations provide a complicated system of determining the width of the buffer. With a variety of credits and aver-aging, their plan would sometimes allow a buffer as small as 40 feet. Many of us in UVA believe the 100 feet should be maintained except in extreme circumstances, at least until the river master plan is developed. Our reasons are: 1. Because this would be an interim regulation, the ordinance should be more rather than less stringent. A river master plan is now funded, but will probably take at least a year to complete.
2. The Comprehensive Plan requires a 100 foot buffer.
3. The EPA generally recommends 100 feet, sometimes more.
4. Anything less than 100 feet is not based on scientific analysis, nor is it adequate to provide meaningful river protection.
5. The proposal to allow a smaller buffer is cal-culated through a complicated process which is hard to comprehend and would be difficult to ad-minister fairly.
6. If a 100 foot buffer makes it too difficult to develop certain properties, the city’s existing variance procedure is available for remedy.
We believe the requirements of the Comprehen-sive Plan should be upheld, particularly for an interim position. If you agree that the river needs more than a 40 foot buffer, please make your views known to City Council. Future Montrose citizens will be glad you did. This article was provided by the Uncompahgre Valley Association
January 2010 Networking the Western Slope for Healthy Communities 3
The Uncompahgre Valley Association is a community group of the Western Colorado Congress, an alliance for community action empowering people to protect and enhance their quality of life in western Colorado. Our goal is building a healthy and sustainable community based on social and economic justice and environ-mental stewardship. If you are interested in learning more about UVA please call our current co-presidents
Stu Krebs at 249-8939 or Dale Reed at 252-1599.
UVA monthly member meeting:
Monday
January 25th, 2010 6:30 pm.
Old City Council Chambers of
Centennial Plaza "The Centennial Room"
Conservation/Sustainability
January 2010 Networking the Western Slope for Healthy Communities 4
Gracias por la Vida Life can seem so all-encompassing at times that to express one’s gratitude for it may seem like a daunting task. This is how it felt to me when I chose the theme of “Gracias por la Vida” for 2010. How could I know how famrworkers express gratitude for their lives? I could only guess. The only life I could really speak for was my own.
OK, so how would I express thanks for my own life? More specifically, how would I express gratitude for my life after spending some 18 years being with and photographing our nation’s farmworkers? How has my life transformed as a result of the many experiences I’ve had with them? The answers started to reveal themselves as I reviewed the hundreds of rolls of photographs taken during this time period. And those answers are now found in the images that were chosen.
The first thing, and perhaps the most important is the opening of my rusty heart, a heart that began to close as a shy, sensitive child who was told she couldn’t change what looked to her like an unfair world, which she heard as there’s nothing she could do about the way things were. So this was the first step, followed by many others, towards closing down my heart. Uhtil that summer in 1992 when I found out about the people picking our food who didn’t have enough to eat themselves, right in my own back yard. I knew then that maybe I could use my photographs to change the way things are, and this inspired an opening for my heart.
In what other ways have these workers inspired me? (My favorite definition of ‘inspire’, by the way, is to motivate by divine influence, according to Webster’s Dictionary.) So in what other ways have farmworkers divinely influenced my life? Their simple ways of living have inspired me. Their close-knit families, opening up so easily to include others, have inspired me. Their capacity and willingness to work hard to provide for their families, in spite of sometimes massive discomfort, have inspired me. Their devotion to their religion, their culture and the honoring of their ancestors have inspired me. Their resolve to create a better life for their children has inspired me. Their trust in me, a stranger, photographing them because I care, has inspired me, has broken my heart wide open.
This, therefore, is why I have continued along this path of publishing calendars that say ‘thank you.’ Thank you for my life, you dear peo-ple who put food on my table. Thank you for enriching my life beyond measure.
Knowing, from my own experience and through the teachings of great religions that gratitude transforms, I’ve had a vision for some time about expressing thanks. Other than air and water, what we all have in common to be grateful for, that sustains us, is food. What if, just what if, we all, in our own way, expressed gratitude to those who plant and harvest our food. My ‘knowingness’ tells me that we, as a col-lective body, would transform. We would witness the results of this transformation in the caring that begins to manifest about what is most important in our lives and the lives of those we love, that our circles of ‘loved ones’ would continue to widen until they form a seamless circle all over the world, universally inclusive.
Celia Robert’s Gracias Calendars
Celia Roberts is a nature photographer who resides in Paonia, CO. She was commissioned by Colorado Migrant Health in 1992 to photograph farmworkers and their families in Colorado for an exhibit to be held at the National Migrant Health Conference in Denver in May of 1993. The response to her photo-graphs at that exhibit was very positive. Viewers remarked that the photos captured the essence and strength of spirit of the farmworkers, rather than fo-cusing on their plight. The photos also reflected the awe and inspiration Celia felt about the migrant workers. She kept photographing them as she trav-eled around the country selling her nature photo-graphs. In 2000 she published the first of the Gracias series of calendars which included “Gracias por los Ninos” (children), “Gracias por los Fa-milias” (families) and “Gracias por los Mu-jeres” (women). The 2010 calendar is “Gracias por la Vida” (life). Following is Celia’s introduction to this beautiful calendar. Calendars can be ordered by call-ing Celia at 970-527-4457 or from her website at www.celiaroberts.com Calendars can be purchased in Paonia at Expressions Bookstore, Paonia Farm and Home and at the The Old River Road Trading Post. If you would like to sell the calendars at your office/store in Delta or Montrose, please call Celia.
—Peace, Celia
Three samples out of Celia's Calendar Contact Celia at www.celiaroberts.com
Community Montrose
Colona Paonia
Telluride
Crawford Delta
Cedaredge
Olathe
Ouray
Hotchkiss
Placerville
January 2010 Networking the Western Slope for Healthy Communities 5
Connections WLN Connections
P.O. Box 85, Montrose, CO 81402 Or email: [email protected]
Please submit camera-ready ads (gif or jpeg) by email to [email protected] by the 20th of the month preceding publication. Ad copy for ads we build must be
submitted by the 15th of the month preceding publication. A $15 set-up fee is charged; additional charges may
be added depending upon complexity. Discounts are available for multiple purchases and for business members.
Call Regina 970.249.4265 for details.
Opinions expressed in Connections do not necessarily reflect the views of The Whole Life Network, Inc.
Personal and Spiritual Growth
For those of us in the Christian tradition, we’ve just come through the season of Advent, the time of waiting with expectancy for love to come again in our lives. It’s a season of high anticipation and hope, for we’ve had a taste of love and we know what it feels like, and now we want more! It’s as if we can’t get enough of it.
As a child, living in that Advent season before Christmas was all but tortuous, for I knew I would be getting signs of my parents love for me. And that their love would come wrapped in the form of cer-tain gifts, Christmas presents, and I could hardly wait!
When I received those gifts, I was happy, very happy! Happy not only for the gifts themselves, but more importantly for the love of my parents that they represented.
While it’s true that things can’t make us happy, love surely can. And it was their love that filled me with such joy and happiness.
One of the aspects of Advent, as we wait on more love to come which will surely increase our happiness, is that it also gives us a chance to be made aware of how often we block the love that is al-ready there, and thus deprive our-selves of more happiness. A teach-ing in A Course in Miracles says that it’s not a matter of getting more love, but rather of removing the blocks to the abundance of love which is always there, just waiting on us to claim it.
And therein lies the rub! For the blocks I’ve put up to love usually involve some belief I have about myself, you, or the world in gen-eral. For example, I may have de-cided at a very early age, that I’m
not worthy of having lots of love in my life. Maybe I’ve decided and believe that I’m not smart enough, handsome enough, wealthy enough, funny enough, or witty enough for you or anybody to really love me very much. Such a belief has to do both with how I see myself and how I see you. I see myself as not deserving love, and I see you as not being capable of loving me, especially as I see myself and assume you see me, too.
That’s a huge block to love. For under those conditions, no matter how diligently you tried to show love for me, I wouldn’t be able to truly feel or receive it. Of if I did, I wouldn’t trust it and would proba-bly decide you’re just trying to manipulate me or even hurt me as I drop my guard and let you in. Or I may think you’re just too stupid (or perhaps desperate) not to real-ize that I’m not very lovable!
So, what’s the answer? Well, sim-ply put, I have to be willing to pay the price of doing the hard work of getting honest about the part I play in not recognizing and receiving the love I so desperately want. I have to be willing to look again at myself and do the sometimes very painful and challenging work of acknowledging and changing my self-perceptions so that I can first begin to love myself. And loving
our self may be the hardest thing we’ve ever done. For it will feel like a huge price to pay, and even scary, to finally give up all those old, long-held beliefs about our self, (beliefs that have, in their own way kept us protected and safe, although not very happy) and start to see our self anew.
For until I do, I’ll never let love in, or at least not enough of it to fi-nally be happy. It’s as simple, and as costly as that. Simple, just not easy!
As we begin a new year together, perhaps we could set this inten-tion. Perhaps we could agree that not only do we want more love in this new year, and therefore more happiness in our lives, but that also we’re ready to pay the price to have it. We’re ready to look at how we see ourselves and those others in our lives, especially those who are trying so hard to love us despite our blocks to it.
And to decide that we’re ready to do the challenging and painful work (and it will surely be work!) of acknowledging and removing all the blocks we’ve carefully put into place that have worked so effectively at keeping love out.
I, for one, think it’s time, and that it’s well worth the price. How about you?
The Reverend Doctor Jerry D. Overton Copyright 2010
Jerry is a Master Certified Coach, and can be reached at 970-252-9311.
He welcomes your call and will delight in helping you to claim your love and happiness!
What Price Happiness Community for Spiritual Awareness Events
Sundays, 9:30 am, Adult Spiritual Discussion Group, Lions Park Community Building, 602 N. Ne-vada, Montrose, you are welcome to join at any time. 252-0908 for more information.
Sundays, 10:45 am, Interfaith Celebration Services, Lions Park Community Building, 602 N. Nevada, Mon-trose, all faiths are welcome. Youth Educa-tion classes are held at the same time. Rev. Arlyn Macdonald, 252-0908.
Wednesdays, Coffee Talks, 10:00 am at Maui Wowi in Oxbow Crossing, an informal discussion on all things spiritual. Free coffee provided by Maui Wowi, everyone is welcome. For more information, call 252-0908.
Sunday, January 3, 10:45 am, Hawaiian Ho'oponopono Service of Forgive-ness and Burning Bowl Ceremony, Lions Park Community Building, 602 N. Nevada, Montrose. A special service of forgiveness to start the new year. 252-0908 for more information.
Sunday, January 3, 12:45 pm, the Open Heart Drum Circle meets at Lions Park Community Building, 602 N. Nevada, Montrose. All levels of drummers welcome to this drum circle. We have extra instru-ments if you don't have a drum. All ages welcome. 252-0908 for more information.
Sunday, January 10 "The Cosmic Events of 2012", 12:45 pm, Lions Park Community Building, 602 N. Nevada, Montrose, special presentation. For more infor-mation call 252-0908.
Sunday, January 17 - new class in financial prosperity begins at Lions Park Com-munity Building, 602 N. Nevada, Montrose, a committed and doable plan to build a new world of financial prosperity. Call 252-0908 for more information.
Sunday, January 31- 12:45 pm, Special Spiritual Cinema showing of the life of Wayne Dyer, "The Shift" starring Wayne Dyer at Lions Park Community Building, 602 N. Nevada, Montrose . Love offering.
The Asanga Center
13027 6080 Road, Montrose.
Sundays: Sunday Morning Meditation, 9:00 am,
For more information call: 970-249-1488 Our website: www.asangainstitute.com
PERSONAL AND PERSONAL AND PERSONAL AND SPIRITUALSPIRITUALSPIRITUAL
GROWTH CALENDARGROWTH CALENDARGROWTH CALENDAR
Business &
Professional Services
Colorado Clean Energy Systems LLC. Solar heating, radiant floor, and high efficiency boilers (970) 901-8757 [email protected] - www.ccenrg.com
Don Bailey REMAX / Alpine View (970) 249-6658 www.DonBaileyRealEstate.com
Great Solar Works 701 Chipeta Dr. Ridgway, CO 970-626-5253, [email protected]
Import Auto Clinic, Inc. www.importautoclinic.org
Paula H. Marlatt United Country, Real Estate Specialist 970-626-3555, [email protected]
Mediation & Group Facilitation Tricia Winslow – free consultation 970.323.5585 or [email protected]
MontroseHealthDirectory.com Roland Holzwarth (970) 249-0397 Local Health Community online
Colorado Retirement Services Montrose Marilynn Huseby, 970-252-1040
Regina Sowell, 970.249.4265 Advertising Representative [email protected]
Southwest Hearing Services, Inc 816 South Fifth St., Montrose, CO Dr. Karen Mercer, 970-249-3971
Counseling & Growth
CHF Coaching and Consulting Carol Harris-Fike (970) 249-4162, www.chfcoaching.com Ontological Coach, Reiki & Emotional Freedom Tech.
Pam Schofield, M.A. Life Transitions: Coaching and Counseling 543 S.2nd Street, Montrose, CO 970.252.0911 [email protected]
Family Practice
DR. Paul Glanville, MD Rocky Mountain Integrative Medicine (970) 626-9877 South Amelia, Ridgway
Healing & Bodywork
Caring-Hope Wellness Sherry Olree R.N., H.N.- B.C., C.H.T.P. (970) 240-9023 Healing Touch, Acupressure, Tuning Forks
Full Circle Integrative Therapies Elizabeth Roscoe, B.A., C.M.T. Mind/Body Coach, Movement, Bodywork (970) 249-0397 www.elizabethroscoe.com
TRAGER APPROACH "LET YOUR BODY TALK" MINDY S. HERMAN LMT CERTIFIED TRAGER PRACTITIONER (970) 318 0386 or 970 626 9877
Organizations
Delta County Tobacco Coalition Karen O’Brien,970-874-2517 [email protected]
Uncompahgre Valley Association Stu Krebs at 249-8939 or Dale Reed at 252-1599.
Retreats and Destinations
Stone Forest Retreat – Cedaredge David & Betsy Koos (970) 856-9656 Ongoing retreats and educational experiences
Spiritual Practices
Community for Spiritual Awareness Rev. Arlyn Macdonald (970) 252-0908
The Center of Personal and Spiritual Growth, Inc. Dr. Jerry Overton (970) 252-9311
Uncompahgre Yoga Circle Lynda Alfred (970) 275-0109 Certified Iyengar Yoga
6 Networking the Western Slope for Healthy Communities January 2010
Whole Life Directory Business Members of The Whole Life Network
These leading representatives of our holistic community are happy to talk to you about what they do and why!
Network Directory Business and Non Profit Members of The Whole Life Network
DENVER –Instead of quitting
smoking cold turkey on Jan. 1, you should
put together a plan to quit, experts recom-
mend. Research shows that setting a “quit
date” as part of a plan to quit smoking that is
shared with family and friends leads to a bet-
ter success rate with the perennially popular
New Year’s resolution.
"People who want to quit using tobacco
don't have to go it alone,” said Deb Osborne,
cessation director for the State Tobacco Edu-
cation and Prevention Partnership. “They can
find effective resources online that provide
options for quitting and specific tips on how
to set the stage for success."
One of the state’s new online resources,
MyQuitPath.com , can help smokers who are
getting ready to quit and those who are ready
now. Smokers can find the resource that’s
right for them among seven different linked
sites.
The Web site highlights the Colorado
QuitLine, a free telephone coaching service
for quitting tobacco. Research shows that
smokers who use resources such as QuitLine
and tobacco cessation medications such as
nicotine patches are more than eight times
more likely to quit smoking completely.
MyQuitPath.com also has an innovative
online text messaging quitting tool, an inter-
active “laboratory” to evaluate the health
effects of smoking and proven strategies for
creating personal quit plans.
Cigarette smoking remains the leading
cause of premature, preventable deaths in
Colorado and is the single greatest driver of
health care costs. More than 4,000 Colorad-
ans die every year from tobacco-related ill-
nesses. Smoking also leads to severe health
problems, including cancer, heart disease and
stroke.
People who stop smoking, however, can
see immediate health benefits. Within 20
minutes after quitting, a smoker’s heart rate
and blood pressure drop. With 12 hours, the
carbon monoxide levels in their blood have
decreased. And as soon as two weeks after
quitting, a smoker’s circulation and lung
functions improve. Long-term ex-smokers
can look forward to longer life spans and
decreased risk of chronic diseases.
The State Tobacco Education and Pre-
vention Partnership implements a compre-
hensive program that uses effective and
proven strategies to prevent and reduce to-
bacco use. The program administers the
Colorado QuitLine, operated by National
Jewish Health and funded through the
Amendment 35 voter-approved tobacco tax.
Health and Wellness
Karen O'Brien Health Education Coordinator Delta County Health Department 255 West 6th St., Delta, CO 81416 970-874-2517 www.deltacounty.com
Whole Life Network Potluck Social: January 17th, 2010, 5:00pm Pot Lock will be held at Stanlee Smith’s place. Please RSVP before January 13th. For information and directions call Stanlee at (970) 252-0460
January 2010 Networking the Western Slope for Healthy Communities 7 The Whole Life Network is pleased to partner with One Community to provide this page on a monthly basis with news and up dates about community integration efforts in Montrose and Delta counties. One Community is an im-migrant integration project whose mission is to provide opportunities for cultural awareness and understanding amongst the diverse ethnic groups who live in our valley. With a spirit of welcome for the contributions they make to our communities, One Community assists foreign born newcomers to find the resources they need to adjust to life in this country. The Connections is a great format to support these efforts and extend the Whole Life Network to people from around the world right here at home. For information about One Community call 970– 249-6473 or 970-901-3439 or visit OCMD website: onecommunitymd.org
Introducción Cuando las temperaturas bajan considerable-mente todos tratamos de protegernos lo mejor posible del frío. Lamentablemente el problema es mucho más complicado que ponerse un buen abrigo. Hay muchos riesgos no sólo en la calle, sino también dentro de nuestros hogares. Los niños y los ancianos son los que están en un ma-yor riesgo.
Los procedimientos de emergencia incluidos aquí no se comparan con un entrenamiento en primeros auxilios pero sí le ayudarán a determi-nar el momento en el que debe buscar atención médica y lo que deberá hacer mientras llega la ayuda.
Esté Preparado Siempre es mejor estar preparado antes de que el frío extremo afecte nuestras vidas. Los princi-pales problemas que pueden surgir se relacionan con la falta de alimentos y de calefacción.
Entre las cosas que debe tener a la mano y listas para usar en su hogar están:
• Un calentador eléctrico o una fuente alterna-tiva de calefacción en caso de que se inte-rrumpa el suministro de energía eléctrica.
• Una lámpara de pilas (y pilas nuevas.) Pro-cure no usar velas porque son un riesgo de incendio. Si tiene que usar velas no las deje encendidas cuando no esté cerca de ellas pues pueden caer o encender algo cercano a ellas.
• Comida en lata y en general que no requiera refrigeración (pan, galletas, cereal, comida en lata y fruta seca, y si tiene bebés, comida en frasco y fórmula.)
Tenga cuidado con los niveles de monóxido de carbono al encender una chimenea o un calen-tador de nafta (kerosene.) La mejor forma de saber si hay peligro es con un detector de monóxido de carbono.
También debe tener preparado su auto para una emergencia.
Necesitará:
• Cobertores para protegerse del frío y una manta de color brillante para llamar la aten-ción en caso de que el auto se quede atora-do.
• Cables para pasar corriente eléctrica • Mapas • Lámpara de pilas • Algunos alimentos en lata (además de un
abrelatas) y agua potable en recipientes lim-pios. No ingiera bebidas alcohólicas pues ello hace que el cuerpo pierda calor más rápidamente.
Es muy importante vigilar la temperatura en los cuartos con bebés y ancianos. Los bebés pierden calor más rápido que los adultos. Los ancianos pierden la capacidad de sentir cambios bruscos de temperatura, por lo que se recomienda que si usted o alguien en su familia tiene más de 65 años, instale un termómetro en un lugar visible para vigilar constantemente la temperatura del cuarto.
Si no puede mantener los cuartos a una tempera-tura tolerable, procure buscar refugio en otro lado. En casos de extrema emergencia, puede proteger al bebé si usted lo cubre con su cuerpo, pero si tiene que dormir, tenga cuidado de no sofocar al pequeño.
Precauciones al aire libre Si baja mucho la temperatura y especialmente si hay mucho viento, procure quedarse en un lugar bajo techo. Si tiene que salir, hágalo en forma muy breve y recuerde que deberá protegerse con sombrero, bufanda para cubrirse la cara y la bo-ca, guantes, un buen abrigo y si es posible, va-rias capas de ropa no apretada.
Trate de mantenerse seco pues la humedad en-fría el cuerpo rápidamente. Cuando el cuerpo empieza a temblar, es un buen indicio de que es hora de regresar a un lugar con calefacción.
El corazón trabaja más cuando tiene que prote-ger al cuerpo del frío, así de que si tiene que hacer un trabajo agotador, hágalo con calma y protéjase bien con la ropa adecuada.
También evite caminar sobre hielo. Un elevado porcentaje de lesiones relacionadas con el frío tiene que ver con caídas en banquetas, escalones y caminos congelados.
Si su auto se atora, coloque una manta de color brillante en la antena de radio para atraer la atención de los socorristas, cubra todo su cuerpo (incluyendo la cabeza) con una cobija, toalla o inclusive periódicos si no tiene telas. Manténga-se despierto. Encienda el motor y la calefacción por unos 10 minutos cada hora y baje la ventana unos cuantos milímetros para que entre aire pu-ro mientras está el auto andando. Vea que la nieve no esté tapando el escape de humo para reducir el riesgo de envenenamiento por monóxido de carbono.
Generalmente es mejor quedarse dentro del vehículo si hay poca visibilidad o si las carrete-ras están cubiertas de hielo.
Enfermedades relacionadas con el frío La hipotermia y la congelación son los dos principales proble-mas asociados con una exposi-ción prolongada al frío intenso.
Hipotermia: Ocurre cuando el cuerpo comienza a perder más calor que el que tiene la capaci-dad de producir. Después de un tiempo se agota la energía alma-cenada y empieza a bajar la tem-peratura del cuerpo. Una tempe-ratura muy baja puede afectar el cerebro, esto le impide a la per-sona moverse o pensar adecua-damente. Así pues, la persona podría no darse cuenta del peli-gro y por lo tanto no haría nada para salvar su vida.
Si nota que está agotado, con-fundido, tiene dificultad para
hablar o está mareado, o si su bebé tiene la piel muy fría y roja y no tiene energía, trate de reci-bir atención médica lo antes posible, especial-mente si su temperatura cae por debajo de los 35 grados centígrados (95 F.) Si no puede, entonces trate de calentar el cuerpo poco a poco. Primero vaya a un cuarto con calefacción, quítese cual-quier ropa mojada, caliente primero la parte me-dia del cuerpo (pecho, cuello, cabeza y pelvis) y trate de tomar algo caliente (nunca trate de darle algo de beber a una persona inconsciente.)
Congelación: Esta lesión al cuerpo provoca una perdida de sensibilidad y color en las áreas afec-tadas. Más comúnmente afecta la nariz, las ore-jas, los cachetes, la barba y los dedos de los pies. La congelación puede causar daños perma-nentes al cuerpo y hasta una amputación.
Si siente dolor o si su piel se ve blanquezca o está adormecida, busque refugio inmediatamen-te y trate de recibir atención médica. Si no pue-de recibir atención médica, busque un lugar con calefacción y evite al máximo caminar si sus pies están congelados o dar masaje a la parte afectada pues agravaría el daño. Sumerja el área afectada en agua tibia (no caliente) o caliéntela con otra parte de su cuerpo (por ejemplo, colo-que su mano bajo la axila.) No use la estufa, la chimenea o un radiador para calentar la parte dañada porque ésta no tiene sensibilidad y podr-ía complicar el problema si se quema.
Ninguna de estas recomendaciones debe rem-plazar la asistencia médica. La hipotermia es una emergencia médica y la congelación debe ser analizada por un especialista. Esta es simple-mente una guía que le ayudará mientras consi-gue ayuda profesional.
Y recuerde que la mejor forma de evitar compli-caciones, es estar bien preparado. Si usted tiene su casa y su auto listos para enfrentar una emer-gencia relacionada con las bajas temperaturas, reducirá considerablemente los riesgos de sufrir un grave problema de salud.
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Jasmine Marquez Cottenwood Elementary
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Ruby Sandoval Pomona Elementary
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