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SYRACUSEparentFinding peace

Fabius mom works through grief by helping others

Sweet dreamsTips to help your baby learn to self-soothe

Winter blues?Check out our calendar for things 2 do

� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 Openers

INSIDEIn our schools:‘Inside HIghschool Sports’ rises again page 5

How to help your kids with the new math homework page 5

From the stacks:Bookworm sez page 6

Fayetteville LIbrary calendar page 6

Health and Nutrition:Whooping cough on the rise page 7

How to look for a cereal page 7

Things 2 Do:Calendar of events pages 12-16

Run, showshoe race planned page 16

What we’re thinking

See Lessons on page 3

EditorJennifer Wing

434-8889 ext. 340editor@syracuseparent.net

Ad ManagerHeidi Tyler 434-8889 ext. 320

Ad SalesColleen Kompf 422-8048

Joan Brockway Griffiths, 662-3690

We want your news!Syracuse Parent welcomes submissions of pictures, stories and letters. Send all correspondence to:

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Community Media Group LLC. Published monthly. Deadline for advertising and calendar events is the 15th day of the month preceding publication. Display advertising rates available upon request. Syracuse Parent reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. We do not guarantee any of the information, services, or products published in this or any issue. The opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this paper. Copyright © 2008 by Syracuse Parent and CNY Family. No portion of Syracuse Parent may be reproduced without permission from the editor.

Cyndi Farrare

Francesca Peplinski, of Liverpool, enjoys a restful slumber.

On the cover

AbOuT THE pHOTOgrApHEr: Cyndi Farrare is owner of Cyndi

FarRare Images. For more information visit cyndifarrareimages.com.

Passing the torch…kind ofNow that the

kids are getting older they’re breaking new ground in a lot of ways – Cassi-dy is learning multiplication and division; Jacob is playing basketball and excelling in his own schoolwork. One first the kids had last month was their first ski (Cas-sidy) and snowboard (Jacob) lessons.

Held at Four Seasons in Fayetteville, the lessons are given by instructors much younger than I, who have a natural, easy manner about them which automatically sets the kids at ease.

At the beginning of the lesson, I held my breath as I watched my son take his first tumble on his snowboard. Before I knew it, he was upright yet again and bombing down the hill to his next spill. Dusting himself off, he was up and run-ning again.

Similarly, Cassidy took off down the hill at full bore on her skis. Her first fall was pretty spectacular, with a cloud of snow momentarily hiding her from my horrified eyes. It took her a bit longer to get upright than it did Jacob, since she has two sticks attached to her feet compared to his one, larger board.

She nonetheless shrugged off the wipe-out and was game for another go. With encouragement from her instructor, she learned to snowplow and stop. Although it seemed she would fall more often than not, as she continued down on subse-quent runs it was obvious she was picking up the sport pretty easily.

Jacob, meanwhile, was showing his inherent athleticism by making it down

the hill without a single fall. I’m not sure where he gets his balance, but it is definite-ly not something he inherited from me.

My husband and I both ski ourselves, but have not been on the hill for a some time. Eric is self-taught, and quite good.

My experience learning to ski was quite a bit different from Eric’s and my children’s, however.

At five years old, my parents, both avid skiers, decided to teach my brother John and I to ski. We lived in Clay at the time, in a house on a hill. That hill was to be-come my ski slope, and the lift was a rope tied around my waist, with one end in my father’s hand pulling me back up the hill.

I remember always being a bit nervous when I skied – as though I could go out of

control at any moment. I still kind of feel that way, years later.

That is why I can’t understand my children’s fearlessness; a bravery that I never had. Two lessons into their educa-tion, and they both are already getting on and off the chairlift with an ease that took me a good few seasons to feel.

Perhaps it’s the impetuousness of youth, but I don’t think so. Jacob is nervous about going on rollercoasters and Cassidy doesn’t like scary movies, so it isn’t that they are fearless by nature, just in this.

I’m glad they are enjoying going down the hill for a few reasons. First, it is a great way to get fresh air and exercise and al-lows them another outlet for their bound-

My brave kids on their first day of snowboard/ski lessons at Four Seasons - where do they get their cfonfidence from?

February is a good month for a projectGot the winter blues? Although February is the shortest month of the year, some-

times it can feel like the longest, with its seemingly unending gray days, slick roads and brutal temperatures.

One way to make the most of the month is to come up with a project. Maybe you have been thinking of painting that upstairs bathroom. Why not brighten up your interiors with some new lighting fixtures?

Or perhaps involving the kids in a project might not only help get it done in a more timely manner, but can also have the side benefit of providing a much-needed diver-sion from the grind of schoolwork and typical chores around the house. For example, if the closets need cleaning, have the kids help you sort through the “rubble.” It’s amaz-ing what treasures can be found in the storage areas of your home, from old toys and games to sports equipment and books. Have the kids mark the sides of boxes with “donations,” “memories” (for old schoolwork, photos, videos, etc.) and each of their names for things they’d like to keep. Those boxes can then be brought to their respec-tive rooms, with the items within put away neatly. This way the kids can feel involved in a project in the home and you can get a jump on your spring cleaning.

February is also a good month to take advantage of after-holiday sales on home fur-nishings. Linens, window treatments and bedding can now be purchased at highly-dis-counted rates. Holiday items such as candles and holders, glassware and other giftware can now be purchased for rock-bottom prices, so why not freshen up your decor with items such as a pretty vase, potpourri set or coordinating guest towels?

Though we’re in the midst of winter, there’s no need to hibernate, so take advantage of the cold outdoors by focusing on your surroundings indoors.

Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • �

from page 2Lessons

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Finding inner peace in the darkest hoursFabius mom works through grief by helping others

by Tami S. Zimmermantzimmerman@cnylink.com

Vera Rybak has found purpose again.

When her first born son was shot to death, her life was turned upside down. That was three years ago, Nov. 13, 2007. DeWitt police officers broke the news to her at L. and J.G. Stickley in Manlius, where she’s been a full-time employee for 21 years.

“I didn’t know what they were there for,” she recalls. “They took me in a room and told me my son was dead. You don’t know what to think. I thought something happened in landscaping … a machine. I asked them how. They said he was shot in the head.”

Robert “Bob” Rybak, 28, was em-ployed as a supervisor with Pro Scapes in Jamesville. He had moved to the Jamesville home of co-worker Alec “Mac” McLean, and his sister, Quinn

McLean, after separating from his wife. Four months later, he was found dead in his bedroom. The case, which began as a homicide investigation, was eventually ruled a suicide.

For Rybak, events leading up to her son’s death remain a mystery.

“There’s so many unanswered ques-tions. How do you tell a mother she has to move on? How do you accept a death that had no rhyme or reason?” she said. “When a mother loses a child, you don’t know how to fill that void. It’s a hole, an empty hole. You try to walk with a smile [but] your mind is constantly thinking, ‘what hap-pened?’”

To deal with her feelings, Rybak needed to stay busy. She wanted to do something that would mean some-thing to someone, which is why she applied at Clare Bridge of Manlius, an assisted living center that provides Alzheimer’s and dementia care for senior citizens.

“The first year after Bob died, I was working 25 to 30 hours a week at Clare Bridge on top of what I was working at Stickley,” she said. “I was tired when I got out but I went to sleep. My mind wasn’t thinking, and that’s what kept me going.”

Rybak sees Clare Bridge as a God-send.

“I started to feel my heart happy again,” she said, break ing down in tears as she recalled the last few years of her life. “I’m falling in love with these people and my heart is beating again. It’s been so long.”

Christine Rug-gaber Wood, of Liverpool, has come to know Rybak since her mom, Gertrude, became a resident of Clare Bridge.

“Her heart is so beautiful,” said Wood, who described Rybak as a per-son who cares for each resident with kindness and dignity no matter how trying the circumstances.

“She’s al-ways the one w h o t re at s them better than family.”

R y b a k said she can r e l a t e t o most residents’ era because she grew up with her grandmother.

Her own mother, now age 87, used to work on the railroad inspecting boxcars.

“They live in the past,” she said. “I can connect with them and they con-nect with me.”

Rybak’s commitment to Clare Bridge is not about a paycheck. It’s about f inding inner peace again, which Ryback said residents give with every smile.

“When you’re devastated with a death, you have to find your own way of dealing,” she said.

“Giving life back to people that are almost at the end of theirs is my way. And they give me back more than they’ll ever know.”

Robert Rybak

“There’s so many unanswered

questions. How do you tell a mother she

has to move on?” - Vera Rybak

less energy. Second, it is another thing we can share – not just an activity, but a life sport that can be enjoyed at 7 or 70.

I look forward to many days on the slopes with them – the sun shining on their wind-kissed faces, the crunch of their skis and snowboard in the newly-fallen snow and shouts of “meet you at the bottom” as we all race down the hill.

Each year that they get older, I feel them spending more time with their friends, and less with my husband and I, but activities like this will keep us close. We’ll ski and snowboard, both locally and on trips to Vermont and other areas that boast a lot of the white stuff, making memories that will last a lifetime.

Like my parents did before me, I am now sharing experiences and helping them gain knowledge of activities and worlds that are out there to discover.

As in the Winter Olympics, I am pass-ing the torch – sort of.

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� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

How to encourage your baby to self-sootheThere are many things parents can

teach their children. However, there are some things that children must learn for themselves. Soothing is one of them. But that doesn’t mean parents can’t provide the environment for baby to do the learning.

If your baby never spends time play-ing on the floor, how can he or she learn how to crawl? The same concept applies to self-soothing. If your child never has the opportunity to try to calm himself or herself down, the baby will continually be reliant on you as the parent to provide the soothing.

Self-soothing takes time and practice, just like anything else a baby will learn. Ensuring your baby catches on quickly requires a few steps.

1. Create a consistent routine. If you want your baby to self-soothe at nap time and bedtime do the same things each day before you will be placing your child in the crib, and ideally at the same time. For example, at nap time tell your child that he is going to go for a nap. At night, give the baby a bath, feeding or whatever nighttime routine you use.

2. Learn to read the baby’s signals that indicate he or she is getting tired. Chances are your baby will become tired at the same time each day and sleeping patterns will become predictable.

3. Baby goes in the crib when he or she is drowsy, but not entirely asleep. Place the child in the crib when he or she is show-ing signs of sleepiness. This way the infant grows accustomed to falling asleep in the crib, rather than in your arms or in your bed. The first few times will likely be met with resistance. However, give your baby time to figure it out. Don’t run in and pick up the baby at the first whimper.

4. Recognize when waking the sleeping baby is acceptable. Many parents adhere to the mantra “never wake a sleeping baby.” However, you have to look at the bigger picture and use your own instincts when

baby is sleeping. If your child has fallen asleep outside of the usual schedule, or is taking a longer nap than usual, it may be alright to wake him or her to get the child back on track. Also, if your baby has fallen asleep in your arms at night, you may want to wake the child so that he or she has the opportunity to drift back off while in the crib. This way he or she learns how to self-soothe and that will pay dividends when the infant can go back to sleep without your

help in the middle of the night.5. Don’t give up. If your baby just won’t

catch on, he or she may not be ready. Wait a few weeks and try again. Find out if there’s something you’re doing wrong, such as rushing into the baby’s room prematurely or failing to create a relax-ing, predictable schedule before it’s time to drift to sleep.

Eventually your child can learn how to self-soothe.

baby steps

One mother’s bedtime routine Baldwinsville Messenger Editor Erin

Wisneski has a routine for getting her daughter, Cora, 6 1/2 months, down for the night.

“I find an evening schedule is best,” Wisneski said. “I feed her some solid foods - usually cereal mixed with fruit. After, I give her a bath, to get her all warmed up and relaxed, then I bundle her up, give her a three to four ounce bottle and put her to bed. Even if she goes to bed awake, she’s content and falls asleep within minutes.”

Wisneski said Cora sleeps through most nights, only waking up for the occasional 2- or 3-a.m.-feeding, after which she “goes right back to sleep.”

Self-soothing takes time and practice, just like anything else a baby will learn.

Cny doula Connection to hold meet and greets

CNY Doula Connection will host Doula Meet & Greet events for expectant parents from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 10 and March 10.

Parents are invited to come learn about pregnancy, doulas and what the group has to offer. The events are free to attend and light refreshments will be provided. CNY Doula Connection meets at Cicero United Methodist Church, 8416 Brewerton Road, Cicero 13039. For more information, parents can email cnydoulaconnection@gmail.com.

Mothers club to meetTwins & Triplets Mothers Club of Central

New York will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednes-day Feb. 23 at the North Syracuse Commu-nity Center on South Bay Road. Contact is Nancy McPeak, 687-5112.

Kids’ Karnival setBVM Academy will host the Kids’ Karnival

at Winterfest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday Feb. 25, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Feb. 26 and 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Feb. 27. Games, face-painting, and balloon art-ist activities will be offered for kids 3-12. Inexpensive fun for the whole family will in-clude children’s identification cards by the Syracuse Police Dept on Saturday (only).

In briefConsistent bedtime could benefit kids’ health Sleep Foundation: infants, toddlers need 12-14 hours of sleep a day

New parents have a lot to learn about caring for their children. Anxiety over sleeping pat-terns can begin when children are infants and continue as they age. Research indicates that a consistent bedtime may not only be good for parents’ sanity, but for kids’ health as well.

Many parents can attest that sleep issues are a concern for both them and their chil-dren. New parents are faced with infants that generally have their days and nights mixed up, resulting in a lack of sleep for parents. Then the tides generally turn, and it’s the children who are getting less sleep -- begging parents to stay up longer and creating excuses why they’re not ready to snuggle under the covers. But once again it’s the parents who are paying the price -- facing lack of sleep and potentially overtired children.

According to Lauren Hale, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, NY, a child’s bedtime routine can affect his or her sleep pattern throughout a lifetime. She says, “Sleep patterns and sleep routines matter because they have both long-term and short-term implications for health and cogni-tive development.”

The National Sleep Foundation says in-fants and toddlers need on average 12 to 14 hours of sleep daily, which is a combination

of nighttime rest and additional naps. Even children up to age 12 should get 10 or 11 hours of sleep. Developing a set bedtime for children early on and creating a bedtime routine can help children anticipate sleep and get the rest they need.

Creating a Bedtime Routine1. Determine the time when you notice

children becoming out of sorts and tired. Make this time the daily bedtime.

2. An hour before bedtime, limit television

watching or other stimulating activities.3. Think about soothing activities. Consider

reading a book or singing a lullaby to younger children. Allowing an hour of quiet reading or music for older children could work, too.

4. A warm bath can help put children in a restful state as well.

5. Be consistent with the bedtime. Don’t allow kids to pressure you into staying up longer.

See Bedtime on page 8

Retiring and waking at consistent times each day enables the body to prepare for rest and is good for general health.

Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • �

Help your child understand today’s mathIn our schools

by Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed.

A recent Gallup poll asked students to name their most difficult subject. Not surprisingly, mathematics topped the list. Why is math so challenging for so many kids? The answer is that it requires two very important abilities -- patience and perseverance.understand that math is a cumulative subject

It is also the sole subject that is nearly 100 percent cumulative. Students must have a strong foundation in order to be successful. In the elementary years, a child has to have a clear understanding of our place value system in order to add, subtract, and multiply large numbers. The basic skills, such as addition, provide the framework for understanding multiplication. Fractions and decimals lay the groundwork for ratios and percentages.

It is the ability to reason through multi-step word problems that helps middle school students find success in math. However this is precisely when many youngsters start to lose ground -- in the middle school years. If they have a shaky foundation and are even earning Cs, they have likely understood only about half the material. They move on without truly grasping or maintaining what they have learned. They then are likely to fall further behind, lose confidence, dislike the subject, and take fewer advanced classes.realize that math isn’t taught like it used to be

If you see that your child is struggling with homework, get involved. Let the teacher know what is happening. As your child starts daily homework, be sure he understands how to do the first few problems before he goes at it on his own. As you monitor your child, you may find that com-putation isn’t taught as it used to be. When we as parents were in elementary school, learning involved rote memory. We “carried” and “borrowed” (although now it’s called regrouping), because we were told that’s the way to do it. It’s unlikely we knew the reason behind the computation. These days, that approach is no longer the norm. Children are taught the “why” behind math through the use of ma-nipulatives, namely Base-10 blocks. These blocks are used to represent ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands. Invest in

a set for your household if you have children in the primary grades so that you can better assist with homework.Make math fun

In order to make math fun, offer an alternative to tra-ditional flash cards for teaching math facts. Use any board game, such as Checkers or Operation. Before each player takes his turn by selecting a game card or rolling the dice, he must first pick up a flashcard (no answer visible) and state the answer. If the answer is correct, he can then choose a game card/roll the dice and play the board game as usual. Kids love this approach because it makes something that was once painful, painless.

Toss an inflatable Multiplication Quiz Cube back and forth to practice facts. Make up rules such as, “Catch it and say the fact your left thumb is touching.” My students are keen on this game because it gets them moving around. Another fun idea is to grab a deck of cards and play Mul-tiplication War. Each player flips up two cards from their deck, multiplies the two numbers together and states the product. Whoever has the highest answer wins all four cards. The person with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

If you use flashcards, let your child hold the cards and quiz you. Studies show that merely allowing the student to hold the cards and take on the role of the teacher increases time on task and retention of data.Help to conquer word problems

For many students, word problems present great dif-ficulty. This is because they have to apply their knowledge to a novel situation, not simply regurgitate facts. If your child is struggling with word problems, consider using the FOPS acronym strategy to assist her.

* Find the problem type. * Organize the information in the problem using a diagram. * Plan to solve the problem. * Solve the problem.The first step is for the child to identify the type of

problem. What is she being asked to do? Next, she has to put the information she has into a diagram; in essence, she is drawing a picture as a model. Next, this information has to be put into a number sentence or equation and lastly, she must solve the problem. Research shows that when students use the same strategy, such as FOPS, to attack each problem, they are far more likely to be successful.For older students - make a practice test

Long-term memory is enhanced when students take “interactive” practice tests. A highly effective way to pre-pare for an exam involves creating a practice test. This means that the student generates a sample test of questions he thinks may be on the exam. This information can come from correct examples in the text book, from old tests and

If you use flashcards, let your child hold the cards and quiz you.

‘Inside High School Sports’ rises againShortly after 9 a.m. on the morning of Jan. 22, Mike

Bristol stepped up to the microphone – and Central New York’s longest-running local sports program was back on the air again.

Orphaned after WHEN changed to a music format last month, the “Onondaga Community College Inside High School Sports Show”, a program dedicated solely to the Central New York high school sports scene, resumed its normal Saturday-morning slot at a new home - ESPN Radio 97.7 and 100.1 F-M, plus 1200 AM.

Also moving is the “Mike Bristol Show”, which will air Friday night from 6 to 7 p.m. under a new title, the “Syra-cuse Legends Show”, with NAPA as a presenting sponsor. That program features interviews and commentary from Syracuse sports legends, past and present.

In mid-December, both of these shows were in residence at 620 WHEN, where the “Inside High School Sports” show had started a decade earlier.

Then it vanished. On Dec. 21, a change in format, away from sports, at WHEN forced Bristol, who owns the show, to seek a new home. At least some time was built-in for the change, since both Christmas and New Year’s Day fell on Saturday and the show wasn’t scheduled to be on the air either time.

Even when the holidays were over, though, two weeks of shows were missed as negotiations to see where the shows would land continued. Finally, Bristol reached a deal with ESPN Radio, whose range and brand name promises to expand the reach of both programs.

The “Inside High School Sports” show began back in 2000, at WHEN, when Bristol, a Marcellus High School and SUNY-Brockport graduate, began showcasing area high school athletics in a program that, at the time, was unique in the state.

Shortly after, Phil Blackwell, the sports editor at Eagle Newspapers, joined the show, first as a call-in guest, then in the studio as co-host. He would also fill in as host whenever Bristol couldn’t be in the studio, bringing his vast knowl-edge of the local scholastic sports scene to the mix.

Many different regulars appeared on the program through the years, but one that has stuck is Jason Powless, the sports director at WKTV, the NBC affiliate in Utica. Powless offers weekly updates of big games and events in the Utica/Rome area.

Once, WHEN owned the program, but in due time Bristol took control, lining up a long list of sponsors and developing a web site, insidehighschoolsports.com, to showcase program features, including the weekly awards.

Also, the connection with title sponsor Onondaga Com-munity College has allowed some of the school’s coaches, including Chuck Wilbur (men’s lacrosse), Dave Pasiak (men’s basketball) and Mike Wheeler (women’s basketball) to make regular appearances as analysts.

On the “Inside High School Sports” show, the format is generally the same each week. Bristol, Blackwell, Powless and guess analysts cover the big events from Friday in the “Bottar-Leone Round-Robin”.

The next segments include interviews with coaches and athletes, plus news about the rest of the week in high school sports, and a long list of awards closes the program. In connection with the show, A “Top 10” list of the week’s topics, plus the award-winners, appear at the show’s Web site, insidehighschoolsports.com.

With that show firmly entrenched, Bristol began his own Friday-night program at WHEN in the fall of 2010, us-ing his vast connections with Syracuse University athletics to bring a string of big-name guests. Under the “Syracuse Legends” banner, that will continue at ESPN Radio as for-mer SU basketball star Arinze Onuaku and football star Kyle Johnson bring weekly segments and Aaron Ortega, a journalism major at the SU’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, serves as co-host.

See Math on page 8

� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

From the stacks “For Horse-Crazy Girls Only:everything you Want to Know about Horses” by Christina Wilsdon, illustrated by Alecia underhillc.2010, Feiwel and Friends, $14.99, 150 pages, includes index

“Play, Louis, Play!” by Muriel Harris Weinstein, illustrated by Frank Morrisonc.2011, bloomsbury Children’s books, $15.99, 128 pages

Bookworm sezThe Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books.

Fayetteville Free Library

February programs offered for kids, teens, adultsThe Fayetteville Free Library is located

at 300 Orchard St., Fayetteville and can be reached at 637-6374 or online at fayetteville-freelibrary.org.

The library is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.preschool storytime: Fabulous 4s and 5sTuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Help your preschooler get ready to read as we enjoy stories together and build impor-tant early literacy skills. First StepsWednesdays at 9:30 a.m.

A language building program using music, movement, rhymes and stories.

For toddlers up to age 3 who have gradu-ated from Cuddletime. preschool storytime: Terrific 2s and 3sWednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Nurture a love of books with your 2 or 3 year old. We will learn letters, sounds and words as we share stories, songs and rhymes. Kiddie CafeWednesdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Drop in to Cafe 300 for puzzles, coloring sheets, crayons, kids music, snacks and fun! CuddletimeThursdays at 11:30 a.m.

Enjoy rhymes, songs, stories and more with your baby at this language building program. For babies not yet walking and an adult.

SmartplayFriday Feb. 11 from 10:30 a.m. to noonSaturday Feb. 12 from 10:30 a.m. to noon

Free play program for preschoolers featur-ing 5 play stations based on early literacy skills. Drop in any time from 10:30-noon. preschool Informational FairSaturday Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m.

Local preschools from the east side of Syracuse will be on hand to provide infor-mation to families about their programs. birds of preyTuesday Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.

Experience the thrill of seeing birds of prey up close. Cindy Page shares lots of informa-tion and her enthusiasm for birds of prey with her audience. Mo Willems StorytimeThursday Feb. 24 at 10 a.m.

Spend your morning being entertained by Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie and other beloved Mo Willems characters! Hear some stories and work on fun crafts! Registration Required.XbOX KinectimalsThursday Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

Try the NEW XBOX Kinect phenomenon with Kinectimals! Registration required.

Programs for TeensYogaWednesday Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.

Interested in Yoga? Want to learn some basic Yoga poses? Join us and Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher Rebecca Mannion for an

afternoon of Yoga in our Communitty Room. After the program head up to Cafe 300 for a complementary cup of herbal tea.

Programs for Adults:New Movie ‘The Social Network’Tuesday Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m.

What begins in computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg’s dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revo-lution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history, but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications. Rated PG-13; 120 min. runtime. Registration Required.AArp Tax Aide program9 a.m. Feb. 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24 and 28

AARP will offer free tax preparation and assistance. Please call or visit the information desk to make an appointment.Independent Film NightThursday Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer. Alex Gibney’s highly anticipated documen-tary! Rated R 1 hr 57 min. Café FrancaisFriday Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Join VIOLETTE HUMSI for an enjoyable French conversation and cafe! Please register by calling 637-6374. Registration Required‘Save Energy, Save Dollars!’Saturday Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m.

Cornell Coop Extension offers a two hour workshop: learn about low cost and no cost

ways to save energy and reduce energy costs! FREE energy saving kit worth $15.00 included for every participant. Registration Required. Learn to CrochetSaturday Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.

Kathleen Hammond will teach you the basics of learning to crochet and the fireplace area will provide a cozy setting for conversa-tion. Please bring $6 for supplies or your own materials. Registration required.Motto Musicale: Soprano With piano As-sompanimentSunday Feb. 6 at 2 p.m.

Luba Lesser, Mezzo Soprano and Maryna Mazhukhova-Dubaniewicz, Pianobeyond a basic Website: building Your Online presenceTuesday Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

Part of a three-part series on building you website. Learn to customize your website using widgets, e-commerce, feeds, and cus-tomization. Registration RequiredCurrent Fiction book ClubWednesday Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

This month’s book pick is “Remarkable Crea-tures” by Tracy Chevalier. Synopsis: Growing up fascinated with the fossils she collected on the beach, Mary Anning blossomed into a skillful amateur archaeologist. goodbye glutenThursday Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.

Join us for a fun filled evening of informa-tion and tasting G-Free food. Guest speakers will discuss the in’s and out’s about going

See Library on page 11

When you were a little kid, you had some

weird ideas.For one thing, you were convinced that

monsters lived beneath your bed or on the other side of every door. You seriously

thought that if you worked hard, you could some-how gain super-hero powers. And you believed that your toys could talk.

Imagine the stories your toys could tell! In the new book “play, Louis, play!” by

Muriel Harris Weinstein, illustrated by Frank Morrison, a young boy’s musical instrument talks about a long-time friend-ship.

Growing up in the Back O’Town – the roughest, toughest part of New Orleans – little Louis Armstrong didn’t have much to call his own. He didn’t have shoes, so he walked the streets of New

Orleans, barefoot. He didn’t have much of an education because the books at his African American school were old and tattered. Louis barely even had a home: he lived with his grandmother because his Mama worked all the time.

But Louis didn’t complain. He had friends, his family, and he had music, which he loved more than anything in the world.

Got a kid whose fingers and feet never stop tapping a tune? Then he’ll make joyful noise when you hand him a copy of this book.

From the perspective of a tarnished old horn, author Muriel Harris Wein-stein tells the story of a boy who couldn’t hide the music inside him. I loved the feel of Weinstein’s story; in fact, “Play, Louis, Play!” practically hops with a skittly-skat spirit that young jazz fans will really enjoy. Add in a few jumpin’-jive illustrations by Frank Mor-rison, and you’ve got a book that’s the cat’s pajamas, Jack.

If your 7-to-10-year-old budding mu-sician can handle a chapter book, here’s one to try. “Play, Louis, Play” is a book she’ll be talking about.

Horsing around is the best thing in your life.

Your bedroom walls are covered with posters of ponies. You’ve drawn dobbins all over your notebooks in school. When you say “dam”, it’s a good thing, and your favorite cuddle-up blanket just happens to have hooves on it.

Nobody could mistake you for anything other than the horsey girl you are. So why not brush up on mucking out, cooling down, and more by reading “For Horse-Crazy girls Only” by Christina Wilsdon, illustrated by Alecia underhill?

Whether you have a horse or you don’t, you probably spend a lot of time dream-ing about everything equine. That’s the best thing about this book: Christina Wilsdon is horse-crazy, too, and she’s got lots of things to tell you.

Would you believe, for instance, that there are over 58 million horses in the world? Over nine million of them live in the U.S. and nearly half a million live in Canada. In that population, you’ll find doz-ens of different kinds of horses, including some to ride, some to race, and some that are in-the-house pets!

Got a girl who’s chomp-ing at the bit for an hour with a horse? This book can’t be ridden, but for a horsey girl like yours, it may be the next best thing.

“For Horse-Crazy Girls Only” is jam-packed with flakes of information that young equestri-ennes will race to read.

Every conceiv-able subject on horses is covered, however briefly, and author Chris-tina Wilsdon also includes a long list of horse-related careers that horse-lov-ing girls can aspire to. What I liked best is that this book really isn’t just Girls Only: horse-crazy moms can enjoy sharing, too.

If your 7-to-14-year-old horse lover can pony up some time, “For Horse-Crazy Girls Only” is a book she’ll truly enjoy.

For her, reading it may be a mane event.

Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • �

Dip all you want Feb. 6Aside from the

game, everybody has their favorite part of the Super Bowl. For some, it’s the commer-cials. For others, it’s the half time show. But almost everyone can agree that the food is always the fan favorite at a Super Bowl party.

To help avoid side-lining your weight loss with an overdose of fried food and fat-lad-en dips, Weight Watch-ers offers the following “menu makeover.”

These strategies and delicious recipe renovations cover ev-erything from the dips to the sips, such as the recipe at right.

Creamy Mexican dipPointsPlus Value: 2Servings: 8Preparation Time: 10 minCooking Time: 0 minLevel of Difficulty: Easy

This dip combines all those favorite Mexican flavors like salsa, avocado and cilantro using fat-free Greek yogurt in-stead of sour cream. Serve with chopped vegetables or chips.

Ingredients1 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt, Greek-va-

riety recommended 1/2 cup(s) salsa, hot chipotle variety

suggested 1/2 medium avocado, diced 1/3 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped 1/4 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped 1/2 tsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or

other brand 1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste

garnish 1/4 medium avocado, diced 1 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped 1 Tbsp red onion(s), chopped

In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt and salsa until blended; stir in remain-ing ingredients except garnishes. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. When ready to serve, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with garnishes. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving.

For more recipes visit weightwatchers.com.

Health & Nutrition

How to look for a healthy cereal

by Mary Ann russo, MS, rD, CDN

Diet advice on how to eat healthy is everywhere and can be confusing when trying to use this information to buy food. For example, cereal can be can be a healthy way to provide whole grains and still limit your intake of simple sugars. As a consumer, as you stroll the aisles at the grocery store you get bombarded with bold words like “Reduced Sugar” and “Whole Grain”. It is very easy to be overwhelmed and quickly just reach for the usual cereal.

Below are some tips on how to choose a healthy breakfast cereal. The most nutritious cereal is one that’s low in fat and sugar, high in fiber and made with 100 per cent whole grains such as oats, whole grain whole wheat or brown rice.

For starters, read the in-gredient list. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Look for whole grain to be listed first. This means that the cereal is predominately whole grain. If a whole grain is listed second, you might be getting only a little whole grain.

Second, ignore those catchy claims

on the front of the box. Go straight to the nutrition facts label. Choose a cereal that has at least five grams of fiber and no more than five grams of sugar per serv-ing. Cereals with dried fruit can exceed five grams of sugar. That’s because the sugar numbers on the nutrition label include both added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in fruit. Cereals with dried fruit may have more sugar but will also have more fiber so less than 8 grams of sugar is ac-ceptable.

If your family is use to sweeter stuff, first try to go half-and-half. For example, half a bowl of pre-sweetened cereal (choc-olate puffs) mixed with half Cheerios. Also, sweetness can be added to cereal by using fresh, frozen, or fruit canned in its

own juice. Give sliced bananas, canned peaches, or fresh/frozen blueberries and strawberries a try.

Third, consider the sodium content of the cereal. Once you start reading labels, you might be surprised to see how much sodium some cereals deliver. For example, some breakfast cereals can contain almost 20 per cent of your

daily requirement for sodium in one small serving. A low- so-

dium cereal should have no more than 240 milligrams

per serving.

Finally, One more tip; keep your por-tion size in check. A “food guide” serving of ready-to-eat cereal is 1 ounce. In household measures, 1- ounce of cereal will vary depend-

ing on the weight of the cereal. In general, a serv-

ing size of a flake cereal is 1 cup, a serving size of puffed

cereal is 1-¼ cups, hot cereal is ½ cup, cooked and serving size for

granola-like cereal is 1/3 to ½ cup.

Snap, crackle, fiber? Best Oatmeal Everserves 2

“One Bite at a Time,” Rebecca Katz

1 cup rolled or steel-cut oats 1/8 tsp. cardamom 1-½ tablespoons of lemon juice1/8 tsp.-powdered ginger1/8 tsp of sea salt 1 teaspoon of maple syrup¼ cup dried cranberries, cherries, raisins¼ cup low-fat milk or organic, soycurrants or a mixture Chopped toasted almonds or walnuts¼ tsp of cinnamon

Place the oats in a bowl with water to cover and add the lemon juice.

Soak overnight.Drain through a fine mesh sieve

and rinse well under cold water.Combine oats, 2 cups of water and

the salt. Bring to boil over high heat and cover.

Decrease heat to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Add dried fruit, spices, maple syrup and milk and stir.

For less moist oatmeal, leave lid off for the last 3 or 4 minutes of cooking.

Garnish with nuts.

dried cranberries, cherries, raisins add sweetness to the oatmeal.

Whooping cough on the riseWithout vaccine, pre-teens at risk for lengthy, disruptive illness

Another fitful night. A mom lies awake, listening help-lessly as her child coughs and coughs. This mom knows tomorrow will be another day of school and soccer practice missed. For her it means another day of work missed. She wonders wearily when it will end.

This cough is whooping cough, also called the “100-day cough” because of its long duration. And the child? Not an infant, as one might expect, but a pre-teen, 11 years old.

Whooping cough - or pertussis - is a serious and very contagious respiratory disease that can cause long, violent coughing fits and the characteristic “whooping” sound that follows when a person gasps for air.

Whooping cough has been on the rise in pre-teens and teens. In 2009, a quarter of the 16,858 cases of pertussis reported in the United States were among 10- through 19-year-olds.

Most children get vaccinated against whooping cough as babies and get a booster shot before starting kindergar-

Health alert

See Whooping cough on page 11

� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

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All pianos & organs

on sale from $500

Great Northern Mall • 622-3926www.pianoandorgancenter.com

0736

0

Yamaha, Korg, Roland, Lowrey, Allen, Weber, & Samick

6 months same

as cash

Preschool Information Fair Saturday, Feb. 12th

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Representatives from East side preschools will be on hand to provide information to

families about their programs.

Fayetteville Free Library

300�Orchard�Street�::�Fayetteville,�NY�13066�::�315.637.6374����www.fayettevillefreelibrary.org�������

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Fayetteville Free Library Fayetteville Free LibraFayetteville Free Library

Fayetteville Free Library

300 Orchard Street :: Fayetteville, NY 13066 :: 315.637.6374www.fayettevillefreelibrary.org/children

:: Participating Schools ::

Baby monkey born at Rosamond Gifford ZooThe Rosamond Gifford Zoo is pleased

to announce the birth of a baby patas mon-key. Parents, Addie and M.J., welcomed the youngster in the early morning hours on Jan. 7.

The gender of the baby is unknown at this time; it will likely be several weeks before zoo staff know if the baby is a boy or a girl and will wait until the gender is determined to name the baby.

“We take a ‘hands-off ’ approach with all primates at the zoo to ensure proper socialization within the group,” said Ted Fox, curator at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. “Addie is a wonderful mother and has suc-cessfully raised offspring in the past. She is very protective of the baby, only allowing her daughter, Sara, to touch it.”

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is one of just 15 American zoos to house patas monkeys. They are part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) - a collaborative effort between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and zoos around the world to help ensure their survival.

Patas monkeys are members of the Guenon family, a diverse group of African monkeys found from the rainforest of Western Africa through the savannahs of Kenya. With their slender bodies and long limbs, patas monkeys are better physically suited for a life on the ground rather than up in the trees. They are one of the fastest primates, capable of reaching speeds upwards of 30 mph. Patas are recognized by a black brow ridge and nose, as well as by a distinctive white area surrounding their mouths that resembles a mustache.

In the wild, breeding typically occurs in the summer, which is the wet season, while births occur in the dry winter months. After an average gestation length of 167 days, the female gives birth to a single offspring. The nursing period extends for approximately six months.

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the zoo at 435-8511 or visit RosamondGiffordZoo.org.

quizzes, or notes. If the student gets stuck, he can easily refer back to the correct steps. In addition, I always encourage my students to ask their teacher about the format of the test. Will it be comprised of answer-only or multiple-choice? Will the student receive partial credit for showing her work? Having this information helps with preparation.Is a tutor the answer?

If you find that as a parent, you’re not the best teacher for your child, consider hiring a tutor to teach these study skills. A tutor comes to the table as a skilled and objective third party, without any emotional history

with your child. One-to-one attention from the classroom teacher or a tutor can make the difference between grasping the mate-rial or falling further behind.

Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed., is the founder and president of Educational Connections, Inc., a comprehensive provider of educational services in Fairfax, VA and Bethesda, MD. In her book, Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools and Solutions for Stress-Free Home-work, Dolin offers proven solutions to help the six key types of students who struggle with homework. Learn more at homework-madesimple.com.

6. Avoid sugary snacks or caffeinated prod-ucts for kids before bedtime; they can become even more wired.

7. Try to schedule the household activities so they don’t infringe on bedtime.

8. Children should fall asleep when tired. Keeping a child up late will not necessarily help them sleep better or longer. In fact, an overtired child could take longer to settle down and awaken during the night.

9. Parents should use the time when kids are in bed to rest themselves, enjoy time together or simply enjoy the quiet.

Similarly, a consistent waking time for children also develops good sleeping habits. The same can be said for adults. Retiring and waking at consistent times each day enables the body to prepare for rest and is good for general health.

from page 4Bedtime

Calling all young writers, illustratorsWCNY to host annual Treehouse Tales contest

Entries are now being accepted in WCNY’s 6th Annual Treehouse Tales Young Writers & Illustrators Contest 2011. The contest is a sta-tion event that promotes literacy and creative expression by encouraging children to write and illustrate their own stories.

“WCNY is proud to have an event that promotes an interest in writing among chil-dren,” said Robert J. Daino, president and chief executive officer of WCNY-TV/FM and chair of the Association of Public Broadcast-ing Stations of New York. “We look forward to receiving stories from the children in our area who are embracing the creative process.”

The deadline for all entries is Feb. 25,

2011. The contest is open to students in first through fourth grades. All entrants will be recognized with a certificate of participation. Each grade level will have a first, second, and third place winner. An awards ceremony will be held at the DeWitt Barnes & Noble in April 2011 and winners will be video taped reading their stories. Winners will also have their winning stories scanned and posted on WCNY’s web site.

Parents can visit wcny.org/treehousetales to review the contest rules, get an entry form, and check out previous year’s winning entries.

from page 5Math

aMeLia BeaMisH, rOsaMOnd GiFFOrd ZOO

Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • �

Instructional Camps

July 19-23 and August 9-13

TENNIS CLUB800 NOTTINGHAM ROAD, SYRACUSE, NY 13224 315-446-2323

www.drumlins.com

JUNIORPROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

FALL 2010USTA Quick Start (ages 5-8)

Tues & Thurs 4-5pm - $100/8 sessionsDevelopmental program created and endorsed by the USTA and USPTA

Grippers (ages 9+)Beginner/Advanced Beginner

Mon & Wed 4-5:30pm - $150/8 sessions

Rippers (ages 9+)Low Intermediate/Intermediate

Tues & Thurs 5-6:30pm - $150/8 sessions

Pee Wee & Hot Shots (ages 5-9)Sat 9-10am and 10-11am - $90/6 sessions

Enjoy Tennis - A Sport for your lifetime!Drumlins... committed to Junior Excellence!

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JUNIORPROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

WINTER 2010-2011USTA Quick Start (ages 5-8)

12/2 - 1/6: Tues & Thurs4-5pm - $100/8 sessions

Developmental program (USTA and USPTA)

Grippers (ages 9+)Beginner/Advanced Beginner

11/17 - 12/15 & 12/20 - 1/24:Mon & Wed 4-5:30pm - $150/8 sessions

Rippers (ages 9+)Low Intermediate/Intermediate

12/2 - 1/6: Tues & Thurs5-6:30pm - $150/8 sessions

Pee Wee & Hot Shots (ages 5-9)11/6 - 12/18 & 1/8 - 2/19:

Sat 9-10am and 10-11am - $90/6 sessions

Instructional Camps

July 19-23 and August 9-13

Tues & Thurs 4-5pm - $100/8 sessions

on & Wed 4-5:30pm - $150/8 sessions

Tues & Thurs 5-6:30pm - $150/8 sessions

ImmaculateConception

School400 Salt Springs Street • Fayetteville • 637-3961

www.icschool.org“Academic excellence in a Catholic Tradition.”

Prestigious Middle States Accreditation

Immaculate Conception creates a faith-filled future, one student at a time.

• Full Day Kindergarten• Pre-K - 6th grade• One of the top academic schools in a three-county area on NYS tests.• Spanish taught beginning in kindergarten• Instrumental & Vocal Music Programs• Hot Lunch Program• Art appreciation• Technology Classes integrated throughout the school

• Partnership with LeMoyne College & Syracuse University• Transportation available• Tuition Scholarships available • After School Program

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Monster Jam comes to the Dome March 12Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam will take

place at the Syracuse University Carrier Dome on at 7 p.m. Saturday March 12 with a pit party from 3-6 p.m. This will be the first time ever that the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam will be held at the Carrier Dome.

Monster Jam, sanctioned by the United States Hot Rod Association, is the most popular monster truck tour, performing to over four million fans annually at the most prestigious arenas and stadiums throughout the world. Monster Jam shows consist of three main fan-favorite elements – the pit party, racing and freestyle. Approximately 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, monster trucks are custom-de-signed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, mon-ster trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster trucks can fly up to 125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

Trucks and drivers expected at the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam:

✓ Grave Digger and driver Dennis Ander-son

✓ Maximum Destruction and driver Tom Meents

✓ Captain’s Curse and driver Alex Black-well

✓ Madusa and driver Debrah Miceli✓ Lucas Oil Crusader and driver Linsey

Weenk✓ Superman and driver Chad Fortune✓ War Wizard and driver Randy Moore✓ Bad Habit and driver Joe Sylvester✓ Stone Crusher and driver Steve Sims✓ Mopar Magic and driver Morgan Kane✓ Avenger and driver Jim Koehler✓ Brutus and driver Chris Bergeron✓ Eradicator and driver Andy Slifko✓ Backdraft and driver Jeremy SlifkoTickets: Event tickets are available at the

Syracuse University Carrier Dome Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, online at ticketmaster.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Ticket prices start at $10 for children and are $15 to $50 for adults. $5 adult discount coupons are available at participating Advance Auto Parts locations from Feb. 21 through March 11 while supplies last.

Pit Party: Each paid admission includes free access to the pit party (before the show from 3-6 p.m.) where fans can meet the drivers and get autographs, take photos with the trucks and participate in other family friendly events.

It’S a FIrSt

Monster trucks Backdraft, top, and Grave Digger, bottom, will be featured March 12 in the first-ever Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam to be held at the Carrier Dome.

10 • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

nygearup.syr.eduFebruary 2011

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is the state agency that has been designated by the Governor’s office to administer the NY GEARUP Program. Funding for NY GEARUP is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

NY GEARUP at Syracuse University receives $567,000 in funding that is matched 100 percent by in-kind services for a total funding of $1,340,000.

HESC helps people pay for college by providing a comprehensive range of financial aid services, including

the Tuition Assistance Program, guaranteeing student loans, and administering the nationally recognized New York’s College Savings Plan.

New York State is a leader in the national financial aid community, providing more grant money to college students than any other state.

NY GEARUP @ Syracuse UniversityNYGEARUP

315.443.7848NYGEARUP@syr.edu

CONTACT US

Great ways to fund a college education, even if you’re not a millionaire

What’s the best way to pay for college? Look into the options below to boost your own college-planning efforts.Financial Aid

Take the time to explore potential aid options and don’t assume your family isn’t eligible. Aid includes grants, scholarships and work-study programs. In addition, loans for students and parents, such as the Par-ent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), are offered at favorable rates and repay-ment schedules.

Almost half of under-graduate aid is in the form of federal educational loans. Your first step should be to complete the FAFSA form. Then, read more on how financial aid works and de-termine your estimated ex-pected family contribution (EFC) with collegeboard.com’s online EFC Calcula-tor.Scholarships

Your child doesn’t have to be valedictorian or quar-terback to receive a schol-arship. Many are based on a particular institution, a field of study or career path, or even ethnic background. Corporations, foundations, professional and service organizations, and commu-nity groups offer scholar-ships, too. Check out colleg-

eboard.com’s free Scholar-ship Search, read more about where to find scholarships, and then do some research of your own online or in the library. Talk to your child’s high school or col-lege counselor for help, and start as early as possible to improve your odds.Tax Breaks

If you meet income re-quirements, you may be eligible for tax deductions and credits toward tuition, fees and student-loan inter-est. Tax credits operate more like rebates than discounts. They’re not applied directly to tuition bills, but are in-stead made available when you file your taxes once you’ve paid tuition.Employment in Public Service

In certain career fields, students may have their loans forgiven or tuition paid in exchange for commit-ting to a period of work in a specified place upon gradu-ation. College advisers can provide more information on these programs for students who are pursuing nursing, teaching and similar public-service fields.Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and the Armed Forces

For students who commit to military service after fin-ishing college, the benefits

range from partial to full payment of undergraduate and graduate costs. Read more about military schol-arships. You can find more information on various mili-tary careers and the educa-tional benefits available at military.com and the Veter-ans Benefits Administration website.Affinity Programs

Savings clubs can help you supplement a college fund. Once you set up an ac-count with a savings club, it works like a frequent-flier program. You get points for purchasing goods and ser-vices from participating merchants. These points are translated into money that’s invested in a state-sponsored college savings plan. Learn more about savings clubs.

From collegeboard.com

ITC students at work

PHOTOS bY REbECCA SAxON

Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • 11

gluten free as well as the health bene-fits this diet can bring to you and your family. Local restaurants, businesses and grocery stores will be providing samples of G-Free products as well as information about their organiza-tions. Whether you have an allergy, a child with Autism, Celiac or are simply curious, this Gluten Free program will have something for everyone.‘Hoops roots’ Friday Feb. 11th at 3 p.m.

Sport historian and author Mark Al-len Baker will discuss his newest book all about the evolution of Syracuse’s “hoops roots”! Registration Required. New movie: ‘Never Let Me go’Sunday Feb. 13 at 1:30 p.m.

Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are best friends who grow up together at an English boarding school with a chilling secret. When they learn the shock-ing truth that they are genetically engineered clones raised to be organ donors, they embrace their fleeting chance to live and love. Based on the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Rated R. 103 min. runtime Registra-tion RequiredLight reads book Club at Café 300Tuesday Feb. 15 at 4 p.m.

Drop in to Cafe 300 to discuss “House on Blossom Street” by Debbie Macomber: A Seattle knitting store brings together four very different

women in this earnest tale about friendship and love. Registration requested. American Chestnut research and restoration projectThursday Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.

Dr. William Powell of SUNY ESF will talk about the latest research and effort to bring back the beloved American Chestnut to New York State and beyond. Refreshments provided. Registration Required.Early closing

The FFL will close at 5 p.m. Monday Feb. 21in observance of President’s Day. ‘Eat pray Love’ Cooking SeriesTuesday Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.

A three-part cooking series at the FFL. Part 1: Violette Humsi will do a fun, interactive cooking demo on Italian cuisine. Must be 18 or older. Registration required.Nook E-reader demoThursday Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.

Colleen from Barnes & Noble as she demonstrates how to use the Nook E-Reader and answers questions. Reg-istration requiredCafe 300 book Discussion groupMonday Feb. 28 at 11 a.m.

This month we are discussing Cleopatra: a Life by Stacy Schiff. Regis-tration required

from page 6Library

ten or first grade. But protection from these vaccines wears off, leaving pre-teens at risk for infection that can cause prolonged ill-ness, disruptions in school and activities, and even hospitalization.

To boost immunity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the Tdap vaccine for all 11- and 12-year-olds.

“It’s important for pre-teens to get a one-time dose of Tdap to protect themselves and those around them from whooping cough,” said Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Immuniza-tion and Respiratory Diseases. “Young infants are most vulnerable to serious complications from pertussis and can be infected by older siblings, parents or other caretakers.” For infants, whooping cough can be deadly.

“Unfortunately, the most recent survey shows that only a little more than half of teens have received the Tdap vaccine,” said Dr. Schuchat. “By taking their pre-teen to

get Tdap, parents can protect their child and help stop this disease from spreading.”

Tdap is one of three vaccines CDC specifically recommends for pre-teens. The others are the meningococcal vaccine, which protects against meningococcal dis-ease, including bacterial meningitis, and, for girls, the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical cancer. Boys and young men can get HPV vaccine to prevent genital warts. Of course, the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older.

Pre-teens should also be up-to-date on so-called childhood vaccines to prevent hepatitis B, chickenpox, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.

These recommendations are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

To learn more, visit CDC’s adolescent vaccine website at cdc.gov/vaccines/pre-teen or call 800-CDC-INFO.

from page 7Whooping cough

a natural Valentine’s Celebration planned at Beaver LakeNature lovers, and everyone else, are invited to capture the romance of a winter’s

night at Beaver Lake Nature Center’s A Natural Valentine program on Monday, February 14. Beginning at 7pm, participants will enjoy a guided snowshoe walk through frozen woodland, under the light of the full moon. Live music, decadent desserts, flavored coffees and a warm fire back at the Visitor Center will make for the perfect evening.

The program is $30 per couple and snowshoes rentals are included. Pre-registration by Jan. 30 is required. Beaver Lake Nature Center, is located at 8477 East Mud Lake Road. For more information, call the Nature Center at 638-2519 or visit OnondagaCountyParks.com.

In brief

CNY GYM CENTREAT SHOPPINGTOWN MALL

HAS IT ALL!!!

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C N YCall for more information 437-4535 or Visit us at cnygymcentre.com

SAFETYCERTIFIEDSTAFFFacebook

Gymnastics Classes18 months -18 years

Funtastic Birthday Parties($20 off if booked by Feb. 14th)

USAG CompetitiveBoys and Girls Teams

Cheerleading andTumbling Classses

RegisteRing now foRwinteR, spRing andsummeR fun Camps

Visit our 25,000 square foot facilitySign up for 4 months of

classes and receive $20 off!!

1� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

Things 2 do

Continued on page 13

Tue Feb 1Sciencenter Math Time. 10:30 AM.

Story and math activity for toddlers and preschoolers. Sciencenter, Ithaca. Included with admission. 607-272-0600. Wed Feb 2

Most Holy Rosary Open House. 10-11 AM. Tours available for Pre-K-grade 6. 1031 Bellevue Ave, Syracuse. 476-6035.

Cross Country Ski Basics. 1:30-3:30 PM. Participants must bring their own skis. Beaver Lake Nature Center. $10. 638-2510. Multiple Moms Mingle. 6:30 PM. Club for mothers and expectant mothers of multiples. Ruby Tuesday’s, Dewitt. Free. 308-0277.

Groundhog Day. 7-8 PM. Explore the history of Groundhog Day. Refreshments provided. Baltimore Woods. $8/person, $25/family. 673-1350.

Piano Concert. 7 PM. Featuring Andrew Russo. Temple Society of Concord. 910 Madison St, Syracuse. Free. 475-9952. Thu Feb 3

Weekday Snowshoe Jaunt. 1:30 PM. Hour-long outing with a naturalist. Beaver Lake Nature Center. $3/snow-shoe rental. 638-2519.

Prime Rib Buffet Dinner. 6-8:30 PM. Skyline Lodge, Highland Forest. $14.95/adult, $7.50 ages 5-11, under 5 free. Pre-register. 683-5550. Bishop Ludden Open House. 6-8 PM. Meet administrators, faculty, staff, current students and parents at the Bishop Ludden Junior/Senior High School. 815 Fay Road, Syracuse. 468-0053. CNY Autism Society of America. 7-9 PM. Jowonio School. 3049 E. Genesee St, Syracuse. 447-4466. Fri Feb 4

Family Fun Sweetheart Dance Party. 6-8 PM. Bring a “play date” and enjoy Val-entine’s day themed activities and crafts, facepainting, juice, and pop-corn. KidzClub Indoor Play and Party Place. 219 County Route 7, Phoenix. $8/kids 8 and under, adults and non-walking siblings/free. 695-2211. Sat Feb 5

Special Olympics NYS Winter Games. Volunteers needed. 518-388-0790. Bishop Ludden Placement Exam. 8 AM. For students in 6th or 8th grade seeking entry in September 2009. Shadowing dates available through April. $15. 815 Fay Road, Syracuse. Pre-register. 468-0053.

Home Depot Kids Workshops. 9 AM-noon. Children ages 5-12 accom-panied by an adult learn about tool safety while building from project kits. Each child also receives an apron and pin. Free. Pre-register at your lo-cal Home Depot.

Sweets for Your Sweetie Book & Bake Sale. 10 AM-3 PM. Used books, videos, audiotapes, DVDs and CDs along with baked goods for sale. “Books in a Bag Sale” from 2-3 PM. NOPL @ Cicero Library. 699-2032.

A World of Puppets. 11 AM. Family puppetry performance. Open Hand Puppet Theater. $6/children, $8/adults. Pre-register. 476-0466.

Magic Circle Children’s Theater. 12:30 PM. Interactive children’s theater featuring Sleeping Beauty. Spaghetti Warehouse, Syracuse. $5/person. Pre-register. 449-3823. Valentine’s in the Forest. 7-11 AM. Dinner, horse-drawn sleigh ride, and dancing. Benefits Nordic Ski Patrol. Highland Forest. $80 per couple. Pre-register. 683-5550. Syracuse Crunch Hockey. 7:30 PM. War Memorial at Oncenter. $. 473-4444.

Sun Feb 6Mid-winter Blues Run at Beaver

Lake. 9:45 AM. 5K run with proceeds to benefit Beaver Lake Nature Center.

$20 entry fee. 638-2519. Creature Feature. 10 AM-3 PM. Learn about different animals in the zoo. Rosamond Gifford Zoo. 435-8511.

Free Sunday at the Sciencenter. Noon-5 PM. Free admission. Scien-center, Ithaca. 607-272-0600. Mon Feb 7

Justifying Evil: Being Jewish in a non-Jewish World. 6 PM. Lecture for Professor Laurence Thomas. Temple Society of Concord. 910 Madison St, Syracuse. Free. 475-9952. Learn to Sew. 6:30-8 PM. Hand and machine sewing lessons for ages 8-19. Oswego County Cooperative Extension, Mexico. $30/4 classes. Pre-register. 963-7286. Tue Feb 8

Sciencenter Storytime. 10:30 AM. Story and related science activity for toddlers and preschoolers. Included with admission. Kids under three receive free admission. Sciencenter, Ithaca. 607-272-0600. SU Women’s Basketball Game. 7 PM. Syracuse University. $. 443-2121.

Wed Feb 9MOMS Club East. 9:30-11:30 AM.

Monthly meeting for kids and moms who choose to stay home full or

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Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • 1�

Things 2 do

Continued on page 14

part time. Manlius United Methodist Church. 111 Wesley St, Manlius. Free. 406-5294. HOPE.network. Noon-2 PM. Faith-based support for families w/special needs kids. Northside Baptist Church, Liverpool. 436-3301. Cross Country Ski Basics. 1:30-3:30 PM. Participants must bring their own skis. Beaver Lake Nature Center. $10. 638-2510. SU Men’s Basketball Game. 7 PM. Car-rier Dome. $. 443-2121. Thu Feb 10

Trail Tales. 1 PM. Ages 3-5. Stories and walk with a naturalist. Free w/park admission. 638-2519.

Weekday Snowshoe Jaunt. 1:30 PM. Hour-long outing with a naturalist. Beaver Lake Nature Center. $3/snow-shoe rental. 638-2519. Fri Feb 11

Moonlight Snowshoeing & Skiing. Until 9 PM. Rentals $3/hour. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519. Sweet Treats. 3:30 PM. Ages 6-12 can make some no-bake treats. Dewitt Community Library. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Valentine’s in the Forest. 7-11 PM. Dinner, horse-drawn sleigh ride, and dancing. Benefits Nordic Ski Patrol. Highland Forest. $80 per couple. Pre-register. 683-5550. Guided Moonlight Snowshoeing. 7 PM. Beaver Lake Nature Center. $3 snowshoe rentals. Pre-register. 638-2519. Sat Feb 12

Moonlight Snowshoeing & Skiing. Until 9 PM. Rentals $3/hour. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519. Cupid’s Chase 5K Run and 3K Walk. To benefit Community Options, a national organization that helps em-power people with disabilities. Griffin Visitor Center, Onondaga Lake Center. 431-9859. A World of Puppets. 11 AM. Family puppetry performance. Open Hand Puppet Theater. $6/children, $8/adults. Pre-register. 476-0466.

Saturday Fly Tie. 11 AM-12 PM. Learn and share fly-tying techniques. Bring your own tools and materials. Baltimore Woods. Free. Pre-register. 673-1350. \

Valentine’s Day Storytime. 11 AM. For ages 4 and up. Barnes & Noble, Dewitt. 449-2947. Magic Circle Children’s Theater. 12:30 PM. Interactive children’s theater featuring Sleeping Beauty. Spaghetti Warehouse, Syracuse. $5/person. Pre-register. 449-3823. SU Women’s Basketball Game. 1 PM. Syracuse University. $. 443-2121.

Hot Cocoa and Snow Series. 1-2:30 PM. Hands-on nature learning and hot chocolate. Montezuma Audubon Center. 2295 State Route 89, Savan-

nah. $5/adult, $3/child, $15/family, includes snowshoe rental. Pre-regis-ter. 365-3588.

HOPE.network. 6:30 PM. Faith-based support for families w/special needs kids. Northside Baptist Church, Liver-pool. 436-3301. Valentine’s in the Forest. 7-11 PM. Dinner, horse-drawn sleigh ride, and dancing. Benefits Nordic Ski Patrol. Highland Forest. $80 per couple. Pre-register. 683-5550. Sweetheart Snowshoe. 7-9 PM. Ro-mantic lantern-lit snowshoe for two through the evening woods followed by indoor desserts. Baltimore Woods. $30/couple. 673-1350.

Sun Feb 13Moonlight Snowshoeing & Skiing.

Until 9 PM. Rentals $3/hour. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519. Sweet Treats. 10 AM-4:30 PM. Watch zoo residents enjoy animal-friendly sweet treats. Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Free with admission. 435-8511.

Snowshoe Race. 10 AM. 5K race and expo featuring outdoor companies showing the latest winter gear. Snow-less date is February 27. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519. New School Open House. 2-4 PM. Mu-sic, healthful snacks, activities for the kids, conversation with enthusiastic parents and teachers. New School, 5205 Jamesville Road, Dewitt. By ap-pointment. 475-6453.

Mon Feb 14Moonlight Snowshoeing & Skiing.

Until 9 PM. Rentals $3/hour. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519. Maxwell Movie Night. 6 PM. Fam-ily friendly films. Maxwell Memorial Library. Free. 672-3661.

Valentine’s in the Forest. 7-11 PM. Dinner, horse-drawn sleigh ride, and dancing. Benefits Nordic Ski Patrol. Highland Forest. $80 per couple. Pre-register. 683-5550. SU Men’s Basketball Game. 7 PM. Car-rier Dome. $. 443-2121.

Tue Feb 15Sciencenter Animal Time. 10:30 AM.

Animal-related story and craft for toddlers and preschoolers. Sciencen-ter, Ithaca. Included with admission. 607-272-0600. Expectant Parent Night Out. 6:30-7:30 PM. Food and sharing with the Doulas of CNY. Ophelias Cafe. 407 Tulip St, Liverpool. Free. Pre-register. 455-6MOM. Wed Feb 16

WiCkNeY Kids’ Book Club. 6 PM. Hosted by WCNY for ages 3-6. Barnes & Noble Dewitt. Free. 449-2948. Teen Advisory Board. 6:30-7:30 PM. Teens can provide their input on library programs and book choices. Maxwell Library, Camillus. Free. 435-3827.

SU Women’s Basketball Game. 7 PM. Syracuse University. $. 443-2121. Thu Feb 17

Th3. 5-8 PM. A common day each month where 17 Syracuse visual art venues are open to recognize and support local artistic achievements. Fri Feb 18

Clifford Visits Storytime. 6 PM. Barnes & Noble, Dewitt. 449-2947. Valentine’s in the Forest. 7-11 PM. Dinner, horse-drawn sleigh ride, and dancing. Benefits Nordic Ski Patrol. Highland Forest. $80 per couple. Pre-register. 683-5550. Syracuse Crunch Hockey. 7:30 PM. War Memorial at Oncenter. $. 473-4444. Sat Feb 19

Youth Ski Festival. 8 AM. Fun and friendly competition, demonstrations of other Nordic sports, and snow games. Highland Forest. 423-3145. Project WET/ Project WILD. 9 AM-4 PM. National interdisciplinary en-vironment education workshop for educators. Participants will receive an activity guide and other materials. Beaver Lake Nature Center. $15, in-cludes lunch. Pre-register. 638-2519.

Ice Cutting. 10 AM. Cut chunks of lake-ice with an antique ice saw. Bea-ver Lake Nature Center. Free w/ad-mission. 638-2519. Civil War Storytime. 11 AM. Seward House, Auburn. Free. 252-1283. Clifford Visits Storytime. 11 AM. Barnes & Noble, Dewitt. 449-2947. Magic Circle Children’s Theater. 12:30 PM. Interactive children’s theater featuring Sleeping Beauty. Spaghetti Warehouse, Syracuse. $5/person. Pre-register. 449-3823. Hot Cocoa and Snow Series. 1-2:30 PM. Hands-on nature learning and hot chocolate. Montezuma Audubon Center. 2295 State Route 89, Savan-nah. $5/adult, $3/child, $15/family, includes snowshoe rental. Pre-regis-ter. 365-3588.

SU Men’s Basketball Game. 4 PM. Carrier Dome. $. 443-2121. Valentine’s in the Forest. 7-11 PM.

Dinner, horse-drawn sleigh ride, and dancing. Benefits Nordic Ski Patrol. Highland Forest. $80 per couple. Pre-register. 683-5550. Syracuse Crunch Hockey. 7:30 PM. War Memorial at Oncenter. $. 473-4444. Sun Feb 20

Youth Ski Festival. 8 AM. Fun and friendly competition, demonstrations of other Nordic sports, and snow games. Highland Forest. 423-3145. Families Explore. Noon-4 PM. Explore the world through music, dance, crafts, and other activities. Corning Museum of Glass. $14/ages 20 and up, 19 and under are free. (607)974-3306.

Mon Feb 21Nature’s Little Explorers. 10-11 AM.

Hands-on learning about the natural world for kids age 3-5 and an adult. Baltimore Woods. Pre-register. $12. 673-1350. Cocoa and Crafts. 2:30 PM. For ages 6-12. Dewitt Community Library. Free. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Black History Month Storytime. 4 PM. Barnes & Noble, Dewitt. 449-2947. Teen Book Discussion Group. 7 PM. For grades 6 and up. Dewitt Com-munity Library. Free. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Teen Book Discussion Group. 7 PM. For grades 6 and up. Dewitt Com-munity Library. Free. Pre-register. 446-3578. Tue Feb 22

Beginner’s Origami. 10:30 AM Kids ages 3-7 can learn the Japanese art of paper folding. Dewitt Commu-nity Library. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Sciencenter Tactile Time. 10:30 AM. Toddlers and preschoolers explore their world through touch. Sciencen-ter, Ithaca. Included with admission. (607) 272-0600. Civil War Crafts. 1-4 PM. Seward House, Auburn. $2. 252-1283.

Magic Show with Mr. Beau the Clown. 1:30 PM. For all ages. Maxwell

Local nordic ski champion to lead ski outingsFormer US Nordic Ski Team member and World Cup Competitor, Kelly Schalk

will be holding two cross-country ski programs at Highland Forest this winter. On Saturdays, through Feb. 26, except Feb. 5, Schalk, a Central New York Native will be guiding casual group ski tours of the Westwind Loop for experienced skiers from 9:30 to 11:30am. In the afternoons, 1:30-2:30 p.m., she will be conducting youth ski experiences for children of all ages, accompanied by an adult.

The ski tour is free with park’s trail use fee and the youth ski experience is $10 per child. Pre-registration is not required for either program.

The trails are open to the public daily 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Skiing and snowshoeing equipment is available to rent at the rental shop daily from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Daily use of the ski trails is $5 for age 16 and older and $2 for age 15 and younger. Park admission for snowshoers and hikers is $1 person, 21 & under free.

Highland Forest, an Onondaga County Park, is located off of Route 80, 4 miles east of the Village of Fabius. For more information, call 683-5550 or visit Ononda-gaCountyParks.com.

Continued on page 15

Memorial Library. Free. 672-3661. Syracuse Crunch Hockey. 7 PM. War

Memorial at Oncenter. $. 473-4444. Children’s Writers & Illustrators. 7

PM. Meet CNY’s own children’s writ-ers and illustrators. Barnes & Noble, Dewitt. Free. 449-2948. Domestic Violence Awareness. 7 PM. Interactive skits and Q&A presented by Vera House for ages 12-17. Dewitt Community Library. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Wed Feb 23

Creative Writing for Teens. 10 AM. For grades 7-12. Includes lunch. De-witt Community Library. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Magic Circle Children’s Theater. 12:30 PM. Interactive children’s theater featuring Sleeping Beauty. Spaghetti Warehouse, Syracuse. $5/person. Pre-register. 449-3823. Family Movie. 4:30 PM. Maxwell Me-morial Library. Free. 672-3661. Thu Feb 24

Learn Irish Step Dancing. 10:30 AM. For ages 5-14. Dewitt Community Library. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Trail Tales. 1 PM. Ages 3-5. Stories and walk with a naturalist. Free w/park admission. 638-2519.

Fri Feb 25Paws & Claws Tour. 10:30 AM and

2:30 PM. Learn about the Seward Family pets. Seward House, Auburn. Included with admission. 252-1283.

Kids Karnival. 11 AM-4 PM. Games, face painting, and balloon characters as part of Winterfest. City Hall Com-mons Atrium. Fee to play games. 466-9468.

Hip Hop Dance for Teens. 2 PM. For ages 12-16. Dewitt Community Library. Pre-register. 446-3578.

Yoga Storytime. 2 PM. For ages 4-8. Dewitt Community Library. Pre-regis-ter. 446-3578.

Syracuse Crunch Hockey. 7:30 PM. War Memorial at Oncenter. $. 473-4444. Sat Feb 26

Kids Karnival. 11 AM-6 PM. Games, face painting, and balloon characters as part of Winterfest. City Hall Com-mons Atrium. Fee to play games. 466-9468.

Magic Circle Children’s Theater. 12:30 PM. Interactive children’s theater featuring Sleeping Beauty. Spaghetti Warehouse, Syracuse. $5/person. Pre-register. 449-3823. Backyard Maple Sugaring Workshop. 1-3 PM. Learn how to tap trees and

Things 2 do

1� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

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Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011 • 1�

Things 2 domake your own maple syrup. Kit with taps included. Baltimore Woods. $45. Pre-register. 673-1350.

SU Women’s Basketball Game. 1 PM. Syracuse University. $. 443-2121.

Hot Cocoa and Snow Series. 1-2:30 PM. Hands-on nature learning and hot chocolate. Montezuma Audubon Center. 2295 State Route 89, Savan-nah. $5/adult, $3/child, $15/family, includes snowshoe rental. Pre-regis-ter. 365-3588.

Backyard Maple Sugaring Workshop. 1-3 PM. Learn how to tap trees and make your own maple syrup. Kit with taps included. Baltimore Woods. $45. Pre-register. 673-1350.

Syracuse Crunch Hockey. 7:30 PM. War Memorial at Oncenter. $. 473-4444. Sun Feb 27

Kids Karnival. 11 AM-4 PM. Games, face painting, and balloon characters as part of Winterfest. City Hall Com-mons Atrium. Fee to play games. 466-9468. Mon Feb 28

Home School Expeditions. 10-11 AM. Discover the wonder of science in the great outdoors. Baltimore Woods. $12. Pre-register. 673-1350. Learn to Sew. 6:30-8 PM. Hand and machine sewing lessons for ages 8-19. Oswego County Cooperative Exten-sion, Mexico. $30/4 classes. Pre-regis-ter. 963-7286.

ONgOINg EVENTS Childbirth Preparation & Refresher

Classes. St. Joseph’s Hospital. $. 448-5515.

Creative Arts Academy Auditions. Ongoing for grades 7-12. Community Folk Art Center. 442-2230.

Cross Country Ski Lessons. 10 AM & 1 PM Saturdays and 1 PM Sun-days through February 27. One hour introductory lesson. Highland Forest. 683-5550.

DivorceCare Support Group. 7 PM Mondays. Northside Baptist Church. 7965 Oswego Road, Liverpool. 652-3160.

Farmers Market. 4-8 PM Tuesdays, 10 AM-5 PM Thursdays, 7 AM-2 PM Satur-days. CNY Regional Market. 422-8647.

GriefShare Support Group. 7 PM Mondays. Northside Baptist Church. 7965 Oswego Road, Liverpool. 652-3160.

High Point. 6:45-8:15 PM Wednes-days. Faith-based songs, games, and activities for kids in kindergarten through grade 5. Community Wesley-an Church. 112 Downer St, Baldwins-ville. Free. 638-2222.

Horsedrawn Hay/Sleigh Rides. 11 AM-4 PM weekends and school holi-days through March 13. $5, under 5 free. Highland Forest. 683-5550.

Ice Skating at Clinton Square. 11 AM-8 PM. $. 423-0129.

Itsy Bitsy Yoga Class. 10 AM Wednes-days, through February 16. For ages 2-4 and a caregiver. KidzClub Indoor Play and Party Place. 219 County Route 57, Phoenix. $60/session. Pre-register. 695-2211.

Kiddie Café. 10 AM-2 PM Wednes-days. Puzzles, coloring, kids music, snacks, and fun. Fayetteville Free Library. 637-6374.

Morning Bird Walks. 7:30 AM Wednesdays & Saturdays. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519.

Music & Movement Class. 10 AM Thursdays, starting February 3. For ages 1-4 and a caregiver. KidzClub In-door Play and Party Place. 219 County Route 57, Phoenix. $10/class. Pre-reg-ister. 695-2211.

Native American Art. 11 AM-12:30 PM Saturdays through February 26. Community Folk Art Center. 805 E. Genesee St, Syracuse. $10/class. 442-2230.

Newborn Care Class. 6-8:30 PM Wednesdays and 2nd/3rd Mondays. St. Joseph’s Hospital Room 5313. $20. 448-5515.

Pre-Ballet Class. 10-11 AM Saturdays. For ages 4-8. Community Folk Art Center. 805 E. Genesee St, Syracuse. $10/class. 442-2230.

Project FeederWatch. 10 AM-3 PM Saturdays. Collect important data about birds. Baltimore Woods. 673-1350.

Sciencenter Showtime! 2 PM Sat-urdays. See science in action with an interactive presentation. Sciencenter, Ithaca. Included with admission. 607-272-0600.

Shake, Wiggle, and Rock. 10 AM Sat-urdays. Creative movement and music for ages 6 months – 4 years. $10/class. Steeplechase Apartments Clubhouse. Weatheridge Drive, Camillus. 399-9060.

Sleigh Rides. 1-3 PM Sundays through March 27, weather permit-ting. Granger Homestead, Canandai-gua. $5/adults, $3/children. 585-394-1472.

Small Business & Personal Finance Seminars. Various topics, dates, and locations. Sponsored by Cooperative Federal. 473-0223.

Story Art Wednesdays. 4:30 PM Wednesdays. For kids age 5-10. Max-well Memorial Library, Camillus. Free. 672-3661.

Teen Art Program. 4-6 PM Wednes-days and Thursdays. Liverpool Art Center. 101 Lake Drive, Liverpool. $60/month. 234-9333.

Teen Game Day. 2 PM Wednesdays starting January 26. Dewitt Commu-nity Library. 446-3578.

Tiny Tigers Karate Prep Class. 5-5:45 PM Tuesdays, 4:30-5:15 PM Wednes-days, 10:15-11:30 AM Saturdays. Excel Martial Arts Training Center. 600 Nottingham Road, Syracuse. $100/10

Rothschild Early Childhood Center

Rothschild Early Childhood Center • 450 Kimber Road, Syracuse, NY 315-445-0049 • www.rothschildearlychildhoodcenter.org

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Continued on page 16

1� • Syracuse Parent and CNY Family • February 2011

Things 2 dosessions. 506-5726.

Try Snowshoeing. 12:30 PM week-ends January 1-February 27. One-hour introductory lesson. Beaver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519.

Weekend Walks With A Naturalist. 1:30 PM Saturdays & Sundays. Beaver Lake Nature Center. Free w/admission. 638-2519.

Wellness Walking Group. 10 AM Mondays & Wednesdays. Beaver Lake Nature Center. Free w/admission. 638-2519.

Yoga. 5:30-7 PM Fridays and 1-2 PM Sundays. All levels welcome. $5/class. Zen Center of Syracuse. 492-6341.

YogaKids. 4:30-5:30 PM Thursdays for ages 4-7; 5:45-6:45 PM Thursdays for ages 8-11; 3-4:15 PM Sundays for tweens/teens. CNY Yoga Center. 101 1st St, Liverpool. $. 622-3423.

Zumba. 6:30-7:30 PM Tuesdays. Com-munity Folk Art Center. $10. 442-2230.

STOrYTIMES

Barnes & Noble Clay. Preschoolers, 10 AM Thursdays. Grades K-3, 7 PM Friday. 622-1066.

Barnes & Noble Dewitt. Preschoolers 10 AM Thursdays. 449-2947.

Betts Branch Library. Thursdays 10:30-11 AM, starting September 10. 435-1940.

Dewitt Community Library. Baby Bop ages 4-18 months, Thursdays at 10:30. Toddler Time ages 18 months to 3 years, Tuesdays at 10:30. Preschool,

Wednesday at 10:30 AM and 2 PM. 446-3578.

East Syracuse Free Library. 10:30 AM Tuesdays for birth-age 3, 10:30 AM Wednesdays for ages 3-4. 437-4841.

Fayetteville Free Library. Preschool for ages 2&3, Tuesdays at 10:30 AM. Preschool for ages 4&5, Wednesdays at 10:30 AM. First Steps for up to age 3, Wednesdays at 9:30 AM. Cuddletime for babies, Thursdays at 11:30 AM. 637-6374.

Maxwell Memorial Library. Preschool for ages 3-5, Mondays and Tuesdays at 10:30. Stories with Sally for 3 and under, Wednesdays at 10:30. Toddlers age 1-4, Saturdays at 10:30 AM. 672-3661.

NOPL Brewerton. 10:30 AM Mon-days for ages 2-4. 11-noon Mondays playgroup for ages 6 months-5 years. 676-7484.

NOPL Cicero. 6:30 PM Mondays (fam-ily story hour), 10 & 11 AM Tuesdays, 11 AM Wednesdays. 699-2032.

NOPL North Syracuse. 6:30 PM Tues-days (family story hour), 10 & 11 AM Wednesdays, noon Thursdays. 458-6184.

Pottery Barn Kids. 11 AM Tuesdays. Carousel Center. 423-5215.

Read & Play Storytime. 11 AM & 1 PM Wednesdays. For ages 2-4. Salina Free Library. 454-4524.

Toddler Book Club. 10:30, 11:30 AM, and 12:30 PM Mondays. Strong Mu-seum, Rochester. Free with admission. 585-410-6359,

EXHIbITS & SHOWS IMAX Movies. Toy Story 3 and more.

MOST. $. 425-9068. Fun, 2, 3, 4: All about a Number of

Things. Learn the fun of applying math to everyday life. Sciencenter, Ithaca. Included with admission. 607-272-0600.

Holly Knott: Painting with a Fabric Palette. Through February 25. Con-temporary art quilts. Baltimore Woods. 673-1350.

Museum of Young Art. 10 AM-6 PM Tuesdays-Thursdays and 10 AM-3 PM Saturdays. Syracuse’s first museum dedicated to children’s art. One Lin-

coln Center. 424-7800. The Salt City Comes of Age. Featur-

ing images and artifacts from Syracuse 1880-1915. Onondaga Historical As-sociation. Free. 428-1864.

Silverman Planetarium. Zoo in the Sky, 11:15 AM weekends and school holidays. Winter Skies, 3:15 PM week-ends and school holidays. MOST. Admission. 425-9068.

Toothpick City II. Watch Stan Munro as he creates the largest toothpick structure in the world featuring famous buildings from around the world. MOST. 425-9068.

The Wonderful Word of Butterflies. Over 400 preserved butterfly and moth specimens from 5 continents. MOST. Admission. 425-9068.

WINTEr brEAK ACTIVITIESBaltimore Woods Adventure Day

Camp. 9 AM-4 PM February 22-25. Bal-timore Woods. $40/day. 673-1350.

Beaver Lake Winter Wonders Week. 10 AM-3 PM February 21-25. Ice har-vests, snow cave building, creature feature, and daily snowshoeing. Bea-ver Lake Nature Center. 638-2519.

Corning Museum of Glass Win-ter Break at the Museum. February 18–27. Special activities including extended Make Your Own Glass hours, unique Hot Glass Show, Family Hid-den Treasures Tours, and hands-on activity tables. Included in Museum admission. Corning Museum of Glass. $14/ages 20 and up, 19 and under are free. (607) 974-3306.

Everson Museum Take a Break! 10 AM-noon February 22-25. Come one day for the whole week for art-related activities for ages 5-12. $5/day. 474-6064.

Rosamond Gifford Zoo Winter Break Activities. 10 AM-4:30 PM February 19-27. Close-up animal encounters, demonstrations, and keeper talks. Rosamond Gifford Zoo. 435-8511.

Sciencenter Winter Recess. February 18-27. Special activities for teachers and kids. Sciencenter, Ithaca. Included with admission. 607-272-0600.

Syracuse Winterfest. February 17-27. syracusewinterfest.org.

� �315-445-2040 ext. 120 • 5655 Thompson Rd. DeWitt • www.jccsyr.org

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Beaver Lake to host run, snowshoe raceBeaver Lake is holding its Sixth Mid-

Winter Blues Run on Sunday Feb. 6. The nature center has become a favorite location for outdoor enthusiasts to pur-sue fitness activities such as running. In an effort to encourage year round outdoor activity and help bridge the gap from fall to spring, Beaver Lake has organized this event. The run is 5K and it begins and ends at the Visitor Center, using nearby country roads. Registra-tion opens at 8 a.m. and the run begins at 9:45 a.m. The run is open to all ages and the pre-registration entry price of $17 ($20 day of race) includes a T-shirt for the first 100 entrants. Winners will be awarded in various age categories.Snowshoe race Feb. 13

On Sunday Feb. 13 Eastern Moun-tain Sports and Beaver Lake Nature Center are hosting the 6th annual Snowshoe Race. Participants can regis-ter for this 5K snowshoe race in advance or the morning of the event at the Visi-tor Center. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and the race begins at 10 a.m. The $17 entry fee includes a T-shirt for the first 50 entrants and a limited number of snowshoes are available to rent for an additional $5. After the race, partici-pants and visitors can spend the rest of the day learning about winter camping, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Representatives from leading outdoor equipment companies will be avail-able to show the latest gear and answer questions. In the event that there is not enough snow, the race will be held on Sunday Feb. 27.

Proceeds from both events will ben-efit the nature center and applications may be downloaded at Onondaga-CountyParks.com.

Beaver Lake Nature Center is lo-cated at 8477 East Mud Lake Road, three miles west of Baldwinsville off of Route 370. For more information, call the Nature Center at 638-2519 or visit OnondagaCountyParks.com.