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| BETTER BEGINNINGS PENNY PATTER |
November 5, 2004
| If you are a “leafer”, but lack the time to indulge your enjoyment of the annual autumn display at one of the renowned spots, you are in luck. Take a few minutes and drive along Etra Road, through East Windsor, towards Roosevelt. The colors are breathtaking. They seem to have burst forth almost overnight, or perhaps “overweek”. But do please. Make it soon, as they are at their peak. Many are falling already. Take the time to visit Etra Park along the way, relax and enjoy the | splendor. Joyfully, this beautiful
panorama is protected. I am grateful everyday that the land has been
put into farm preservation.
On the subject of judging (not), broached in an earlier column, someone reminded me that a tree of the deciduous variety could be described (judged) in four very different ways if viewed in four different seasons. Point well taken. I get the drift. |
| Fifth in the list of “Signs of Inner Peace” (author unknown), is “A loss of interest in conflict.” Well, that suits me to a “t”. Win-win solutions are great favorites at Better Beginnings where we work diligently at peaceful problem solving. If only we could teach the world and its leaders! I have a funny mental image of leaders of two nations being sent to the “Peace Table” and told they must sit and negotiate until they come up | with a solution that is satisfactory to both
parties.
Come to think of it, isn’t that somewhat the original premise of the United Nations? What a commentary! If little kids, speaking more than one language, can manage to negotiate a peaceful resolution, how come us grown folks can’t? Maybe it’s not “can’t”, more like “won’t”. |
| “Brain Research shows that nutrition, health
and physical activity affect learning. Movement stimulates
connections in the brain.” “A well-balanced diet, sufficient
sleep, and plenty of exercise support healthy brain growth. During
the first five years, trillions upon trillions of synapses are formed in
response to learning experiences.” (Creative Curriculum; Dodge, Colker,
Heroman, page 5).
Sadly, if these connections are not made, the opportunity disappears. A walk to the park where the children enjoy running to collect a variety of leaves |
to bring back home or to the classroom
discovery center where they can be sorted, classified, or used in art
projects is fun. It also stimulates cognitive growth, physical
development, visual discrimination, and socialization. Our “Week-end
FunWork” suggests such fun learning activities the entire family can
enjoy together. Our hope is that family involvement in the
student’s education becomes a habit and a regular enjoyable event.
The weekly tracts are archived at Better Beginnings’ website. (See Below) |
| Each of us is different, but we all fit and we
all contribute to the whole. Without even one piece, the puzzle is
incomplete. This week included pieces from the following:
Penny collections from Sunny Young Deli on Main Street Hightstown, and
from First Presbyterian Helping Hands.
A stand-up fan, folders, cookies, crayons, books, dress-up clothes, stuffed animals, children’s tapes, magazines, from Jesse Rosen, Jacqueline Horner, Jonathan Craig. |
Russ Goddard, Maureen Saxton, Barbara Reagan,
and Millie K. Brown.
A welcome new member of our community, Heritage Christian Center, surprised us with a very generous gift: The entire proceeds collected at the Hightstown Festival in October, where they also served Chili at the Chili Cookoff. We thank you for your help; and may peace be with you. |
Irving Harris,
grandfather of Nancy Meyer, has been entered in our Book of Honor, through
generous contributions to Our Living Memorial Endowment Fund by
Eugene O’Kane was also entered in our Book of Honor, through generous contributions from
|
Through this choice, the contributions are invested in the future, helping to assure that the work of the center continues, and local children and families will benefit. A certificate is sent to each of the families, another to each contributor, and a third resides in the Book of Honor. This is, in every sense, a memorial that lives on, generation to generation. |
| A friend sent the following saying to me,
with a box of crayons:
We could learn a lot from crayons: |
some are sharp, some are
pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. |
| From her junk mail, she chooses a likely envelope On the back she writes her shopping list. Inside she places any coupons she may use. She estimates that she has | saved at least one tree this way. Now, if everyone did that …….. We would have even more beautiful autumn leaves. |
| Don’t miss our Spaghetti Dinner today, November 5, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm, at Better Beginnings, 318 North Main St., Hightstown. Sponsored by Americana Diner and Macaroni Grill. A bargain, | indeed,
at $10 for adults, and $5 for children under 11.
Call the Better Beginnings at 448-6226 to order in advance. |
|
Bettie Witherspoon is a former executive director of Better Beginnings, which has provided affordable child care to the East Windsor/Hightstown area since 1967. |
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