Motor Vehicle safety

by Sparky
August 30, 2009

 

 

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths for children 14 and under with almost 2,000 death in 2005. Inappropriately restrained children are nearly three and a half times more likely to be seriously injured in motor vehicle-related crashes. In 2007, more than 178,000 children ages 14 and under were injured occupants in a motor vehicle crash.
 

Riding in a motor vehicle

• Children ages 12 and under should ride buckled up in the back seat in a child safety seat, booster seat or safety belt.
• Infants should ride in a rear-facing infant seat until they are at least one-year old and weight at least 20 pounds.
• Use a convertible or forward facing safety seat until the child outgrows it – up to about four and when the child weights 40 pounds.
• All children who have outgrown child safety seats should be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least eight years old, unless they are 4-feet 9 inches tall. Adult safety belts alone do not sufficiently protect children weighting less than 80 pounds form injury in a crash. Children can’t ride comfortably and remain properly restrained until they are tall enough for the knees to bend over the edge of the seat when their backs are resting firmly against the back seat. If the should portion of the lap-shoulder belt comes across the neck, rather than the chest, they should be in a booster seat.

 

Bus safety for children

• While waiting for the bus, take five giant steps form the curb until the bus has stopped completely.
• Stay seated at all times.
• Keep head, arms and hands inside the bus. Never throw anything out of the bus window.
• Always hold on to the bus handrails to prevent falling.
• Be careful that clothing, book bags, and key rings don’t get caught in the handrails or doors.
• When getting off the bus, take five giant steps away from the bus, and stay on the sidewalk.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus drive. Otherwise, the bus driver may not be able to see you.

 

Source: Sparky      NFPA

 

Editor’s Note:  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) (12/17/08). 

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Back to School Safety Tips

 

By Sparky
August 30, 2009

 

 

 

Say goodbye to summer and hello to fall. It’s school time again! Just like teachers, books, and homework go hand in hand with the school year, so should safety.

 

 

• While waiting for the bus, take five giant steps back from the curb until the bus has stopped completely.
• Inside the bus, stay seated at all times.
• Keep head, arms and hands inside the bus. Never throw anything out of the bus window.
• Always hold on to the bus handrails when you are getting on or off the bus so you don’t fall.
• Be careful that clothing, book bags, and key rings don’t get caught in the handrails or doors
• When getting off the bus, go to the closest sidewalk or side of the road and take five giant steps away from the bus.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. If you bend over to pick it up, the bus driver may not be able to see you

 

 

• Children under age 10 should never cross a street without a grown-up.
• Choose a safe route to school. Look for the most direct route with the fewest street crossings.
• When crossing the street, stop at the curb or edge of the road.
• Look left, then right, then left again for moving cars before crossing.
• Keep looking left and right until you are safely across the street – and remember to walk, not run.
• Follow all traffic signals and markings.
• Don’t enter the street from between parked cars or from behind bushes or shrubs. Drivers might not be able to see you.

 

 

• If you are old enough to ride alone, plan a safe route to school and have a grown-up ride with you the first few times.
• Children under 10 shouldn’t ride on the road without a grown-up.
• Be sure that your helmet fits. It should sit even on top of the head –not rocking in any direction–and always fasten the safety strap.
• Learn the proper hand signals and use them when you turn or stop.
• Walk, do not ride your bike accross the street.
• Come to a complete stop before entering driveways, paths or sidewalks, then look left, right and left again for bikes, cars or pedestrians heading your way.
• Do not ride at night.

 

And last, but not least, if you are riding in a car to school the safest place to be if you are 12 years old or younger is in the back seat buckled up safely. Remember, you should be in a booster seat until you are eight years old and 80 pounds.

 

Source: Sparky

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Review of Six Flags America

By Our Kids
August 29, 2009

Baltimore/Washington, DC

13710 Central Ave
Upper Marlboro, MD
Google map

“Even if you’re a patient person, you can’t be patient for this!” – Senior OK Intern

Back before the internet and cellphones, when I was a teenager, I visited Six Flags (then known as Adventure World) and remember it primarily as a teen hangout. The OK Amusement Park Assessment Review Team (four staffers ages 7, 9, almost 37 and just 62), decided there was no better time than now to check out what was being billed as the new-and-improved Six Flags, and we were pleasantly surprised at the changes that have taken place since that long ago visit. Six Flags is located in Largo, Maryland about 30 minutes from Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. It includes two main areas — the waterpark, Hurricane Harbor and the main amusement park. It was a beautiful sunny morning, so we opted to start out in Hurricane Harbor.

The Waterpark
Hurricane Harbor is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It’s definitely a nice addition to the amusement park side of Six Flags, and admission is included in your ticket price. My biggest memory of the waterpark was how dirty things were – from the water to the bathrooms – so I must admit I was quite hesitant going into this review. To get to the waterpark you must first walk through an area flanked by games for kids to play and now “conveniently” they accept credit cards to play said games. We ended up bypassing these as the OK interns were very excited to get to the waterpark.

Our first stop was at the women’s locker room, and we are happy to report that it was clean and orderly. There are plenty of bathrooms, shower stalls and regular changing stalls, but it probably gets crowded on a weekend. The floors were clean, but as the day wore on you could start to see the wear and tear on the bathrooms. Nothing you wouldn’t expect from a big amusement park.

We opted to rent a locker in the waterpark for the duration of our stay (you can also rent lockers in other places throughout the park). It is well-worth the money to be able to store your things in one safe place and not have to lug everything around. We put on our lotion beforehand and carried our beach towels from place to place. Locker rental daily rates range in price from a small ($11) or large ($15) to family ($17). We rented a large locker and could fit two filled bags in it with some room to spare. When you rent the locker, you’ll receive a wristband that one person in your party wears. Cool bonus feature: when you hold the wristband up to an electronic sensor the locker opens, even if you don’t say something that sounds like a magic spell.

Onto the waterpark! We wanted to start out slow and opted to visit Crocodile Cal’s Caribbean Beach House. It’s a five-story interactive tree house that spurts water from every which way. There’s the standard bucket up top that will delight children with a huge downpour of water every so often. There are at least seven different water slides for all ages and stages. The water is pretty shallow in most parts and there is a beach entry for the littlest swimmers.

We were very impressed by the lifeguards throughout the entire waterpark. They were almost overly attentive in some areas, but it was a nice change from the usual slack-a-dasical attitude lifeguards have, and I’d rather be safe than sorry. They stopped kids from running, getting out of the water in the wrong place and from horseplay. We even saw lifeguards practicing safety drills throughout the park.

Hurricane Harbor has lots of waterslides, so there is something for all levels and interests. Bahama Blast, a family raft ride (must be 42″ with an adult; 48″ without an adult) was our next stop. It turns out you have to lug a huge four-person “round” raft up several flights of stairs. This isn’t for the faint of heart. I run marathons and would call myself in decent shape; but was huffing and puffing by the time we reached the top with our raft in hand. Seconds after we hopped into the raft we were spiraling down a tube that was enclosed at times and not at others. It was awesome, belly-turning fun, but we’d recommend it only for those who love waterslides. I thought this slide would be a more gentle ride down for my 7-year old, more timid waterslide rider. Not so, Bahama Blast is just that — it blasts you down quickly and it is great fun!

The 7 year old and 62 year old headed back over to Crocodile Cal’s while the two other reviewers went on two other waterslides: Paradise Plunge and Reef Runner. These are two-person and single tubes that you carry up several flights of stairs before plunging down a tube slide. We went on the two-person tube and the slides were invigorating! The lifeguards were attentive both at the top and bottom.

Next we headed to Castaway Creek, a lazy river where kids 36″ and over can ride solo in a tube. It was nice and relaxing and the kids enjoyed splashing around while lollygagging around the river. Afterwards they played in the pool that was in the center of the lazy river and included the Vortex/Riptide waterslides; Calypso Cannonball tube slides and Bamboo Chutes kiddie slides.

We then went to Hurricane Bay, one of the largest wave pools in the country. Back in the day, Hurricane Bay was well-known for having hair nets, band-aids and other strange foreign objects, so we are happy to report there has been a successful makeover. The water was clean, the lifeguards were on top of things and the wave pool was not crowded. Waves are intermittent and can get up to 4 feet tall. Infants and weak swimmers are not allowed past a certain point and again the lifeguards were on hand to make sure that did not happen. The OK-interns rated Hurricane Bay as one of their favorite places. They could splash, bobble up and down and just have fun. In front of Hurricane Bay there is a large open area with dozens of lounge chairs. This lawn is a green carpet, which has definitely seen better days. It might bother some people, but it’s nothing you wouldn’t expect in an older park.

Our final stop in the waterpark was Buccaneer Beach. This area is great for the littlest kids and consists of two pools with loads of interactive features. The area is aimed at children 54″ and lower with an adult. There’s a pirate ship, water squirting out of the pool bottom and a huge octopus over a submarine in the center where kids can climb in and around.

There are several other waterslides in the park, including the Tornado (a six-story funnel of “fun”), Tony Hawk’s Halfpipe (a water ramp that can “skateboard” on), Hammerhead (a tube slide in the dark) and Mako (a tube slide that is half-open and half-enclosed). Note: on all waterslides you have to carry your tube up the stairs.

The Amusement Park

After a fun-filled morning we headed to the amusement park side of Six Flags. Map in hand, we let the kids decide where we should head first and they chose the Great Race, an antique car ride. The OK interns were thrilled that they would have the chance to drive their own car. The OK adults were excited that this was the only place they’d be driving for a long time! The Great Race features antique cars that seat 4-5 people (no lap children) that are driven around a track for about 5 minutes. There was no wait for a car but we were disappointed at this ride (the only one) because the attendants were less than helpful and more interested in texting or talking with each other. We took the experience for what it was and we were off to the Looney Tunes Movie Town, a section made just for the littlest of amusement park patrons.

Looney Tunes Movie Town offers rides geared mostly for kids ages 2 to 8 or 9 depending on their height. All of the rides are very mild and are a great introduction for children. The 9-year old OK intern went on the Great Chase first, a family-friendly roller coaster. It takes kids up a modest incline and brings them around the track to where they begin; the ride goes about three times around the loop. We tried to go onto Sylvester’s Pounce and Bounce where kids are taken 20 feet in the air before a short free fall; however one intern was too tall to ride. So instead we hit up several others to include the Tinsel Town Train, Pepe LePew’s Tea Party (kids spin around in tea cups) and Yosemite Sam’s Hollywood Flight School (kids take flight in mini-airplanes). Ride operators in the Looney Tunes Movie Town area were attentive to the children and appeared interested in what they were doing. The max height limit is generally between 52″ and 54″, so it depended on who was doing the measuring as to whether or not the 9-year old could ride.

Following the foray into Looney Tunes Movie Town, we took a ride on the Capital Railways, which is new for 2009. Capital Railways takes you on a relaxing ride around the park in a full-size locomotive. It was a great way to chill out for a few before we headed out to see some other attractions. The ride was slow and covered; so on a hot day, it would be a nice change of pace from being in the hot sun.

During our train ride we were able to peep all of the roller coasters in the park. Back when I was in leg warmers, I would have eagerly tried all
the roller coasters, but now that I have children and a minivan, my threshold for taking chances has definitely gone down. They are still fun to watch though! Experts tell me that Six Flags has some really awesome coasters. Here they are, in train view order:

• The Wild One is a classic wooden roller coaster. You must be at least 48″ to ride.
• Superman: Ride of Steel is a 20-story mega-coaster. You must be a minimum of 54″ to ride and a maximum of 76″. This ride was not running while we were at the park; there were operators working on fixing something with the ride.
• Batwing is a face-down coaster and you must be at least 54″ to ride.
• The Joker’s Jinx is probably the scariest and coolest looking roller coaster I have seen in a while. This coaster takes you from 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds. You’ll twist and turn like no other! You must be 54″ minimum to ride.
• Two other coasters that we saw were The Roar, a wooden coaster that criss-crosses itself 20 times and The Mind Eraser, a coaster that you ride with your feet dangling in the air.

After our tame train ride and seeing the excitement of the roller coasters, we walked around and decided to try out two water rides, favorites from my years as a teen. Skull Mountain was the first and is a cruise through a pitch dark tunnel, high speed twists and turns where you are then dumped into a chute of water. 46″ minimum to ride and great fun! The second was Shipwreck Falls, a boat of sorts that takes you up an incline, around a curve (all in water) to plunge down and be engulfed by the water and then soaked. Warning: You will get completely soaked on these rides so do not bring anything that you do not want wet. For those who opt not to go on Shipwreck Falls, you can stand on the bridge that the boat goes under and get soaked by the spray. On a hot summer day these are great rides in addition to Renegade Rapids (a white water raft ride) and The Penguins Blizzard River.

We capped our visit with a ride on Around the World in 80 Days, a fun ferris wheel. You have to be 42″ to ride alone; under 42″ with a companion over 54″. There were several rides that we weren’t able to get to. Here are a few worth mentioning and hopefully you’ll have some braver folks in your group who will try them out and report back to Our Kids.

• Flying Carousel is a high-flying swing ride. Must be 48″ minimum to ride.
• Cyclone is a ride where spinning gondolas send riders back and forth.
• Tower of Doom is a high-speed free fall from 140 feet in the air. Make sure to leave those flip-flops at the bottom!
• Falling Star and High Seas are both giant rides where you rotate and swing around.
• The Octopus spins riders up and down on its tentacles. 51″ minimum to ride.

Six Flags America is a smallish, more compact park than others that are farther away, but even spending six hours at the park we weren’t able to get to all the rides or see any shows. Consult the Six Flags website for a current listing of shows at the park. Also worth noting is the 2009 Starburst Summer Concert Series which takes place weekly through August.

Upcoming special events:

• October 3 to 31: Fright Fest; Six Flags America will be totally transformed into a Halloween playground on weekends. There will be a special trick-or-treat trail just for kids.

All concerts are included with your 2009 Play Pass or daily admission. Get up close with preferred floor access for $10, park admission is additional.

The Food
Check out this awesome kids meal

Gourmet and healthy food it is not, so food is not a highlight of the park. No outside food is allowed inside Six Flags. You are however allowed one unopened bottle of water and we highly recommend that you take advantage of that option. As you would expect, food is pretty pricey.

During our adventure we stopped briefly to eat lunch. We dined at Papaya Pete’s Chicken Hut, which offers various chicken sandwiches, french fries, popcorn shrimp and a kids meal. The adults had a crispy chicken sandwich and grilled chicken sandwich both with fries. We paid $7.99 plus tax for the adult entries. The best deal by far is the kids meal. For $8.99 plus tax, kids get a souvenir bucket filled with applesauce, a cheese stick, fries and popcorn chicken. They also get their choice of drink in a souvenir cup.

Other choices for dining in the waterpark included Subway, Papa Johns, Beachside Burgers and Hurricane Hot Dog. There was a cute place called Calypso’s; which served ice cold beer, wine coolers and small appetizers. Caribbean music was piped in throughout the different dining areas. Deserts in the form of funnel cakes and Ben & Jerry’s were available as well.

Later in the afternoon we decided to have some ice cream. We first stopped in the Cold Stone Creamery on Main Street. They offer a pretty nice selection, but they only have waffle cones that were much too large for our party. We headed over to Ben & Jerry’s for a soft serve ice-cream cone. The food was yummy; however the prices were very high. It was $5.29 plus tax for a soft serve cone.

Dining options in the amusement park include a Johnny Rockets restaurant, Panda Express, Papa John’s, Subway and other grill type places. You can view a detailed list online. Note: peanut oil is used in the preparation of menu items, so if you have allergies in the family as is often the case these days, contact Park Security or Guest Relations when you arrive to bring in special dietary foods. If you don’t mind paying amusement park prices then you have wide selection. If you’re trying to save a little money, consider tail gaiting. You can get your hand stamped at the exit/re-entry gate; head to your car for a bite to eat and then go back for more fun at Six Flags.

Admission

• Expect to pay $15 for parking.
• General admission to the park is $49.99; Junior admission under 48″ is $24.99; and under 2 is free. If you purchase your tickets online, you can buy one for $49.99 and get one free. Or you can Become an Our Kids member and get access to discounted tickets.
• If before you visit you know you’ll want to go back more than once, purchase a 2009 Play Pass. You get unlimited visits on regular operating days during the 2009 season and access to Fright Fest.
• If you had a ton of fun and know you’ll be back to Six Flags in one season; consider turning in your one-day admission and purchase a 2009 season pass for $19.99 plus tax. Details are at Guest Relations.
• Purchase a flash pass for $15. The Flash Pass reduces your wait time on select rides. I would imagine this would be invaluable on busy weekdays or weekends.

Things to Know Before You Go:

• Consult the Six Flags website for hours of operation. Generally they start their season in April (weekends only) and open during the week starting in May. Weekdays continue through Labor Day and then the park stays open on weekends only through the end of October.
• In addition to the amusement park rides, waterpark and food; Six Flags also has arcade games and carnival games. There are also vendors scattered that do tattoos on kids. Our interns are Harry Potter fans and got a lightening bolt and snake on their arms. Tattoos last from 2 to 4 weeks, but a word of caution. You have to let them dry after they are applied or the tattoo will get messed up (as one of ours did). Tattoos start at $5.
• Six Flags has a guest code of conduct and from all appearances it seems to be enforced. There is a dress code, behavior and language rules that apply. Six Flags allows smoking in designated areas and pets are not permitted in the park with the exception of service animals.
• Don’t forget: your towels, a change of clothes (don’t forget the underwear), sunscreen, hats, sunglasses. Bring a camera; lots of fun photo opportunities are available.
• Appropriate bathing suits may only be worn inside Hurricane Harbor. Regular clothing must be worn in the amusement park.
• The park accepts American Express, MasterCard, VISA and Discover Card for park admission, at gift shops and many food locations. Personal checks are not accepted.
• There are plenty of gift shops throughout the park. We didn’t have enough time to check them out; but they offer everything from Six Flags apparel to Looney Tunes apparel, collector’s items; along with kids super heroes apparel.
• There are plenty of bathrooms, a first aid station, water fountains and ATMs throughout the park.
• You can bring your own stroller; but if you don’t feel like it you can rent one at the park. A limited number are available.
• Consider dressing your kids in the same color shirt for easy identification. And make sure that all children you bring to the park know their parents name, their phone number and address if possible.
• Before visiting Six Flags, consult the park FAQ for a full list of things to know.

Bottom Line:We visited Six Flags on a Monday, and I am convinced it saved us from a lot of waiting in line for rides, food and general activities. Head to Six Flags on a weekday; the earlier the better. No lines, clean facilities, lots of options = maximum fun.

Editor’s Note: This review was first down in Our Kids in July. Have you been to Six Flags America? What’s your opinion? Just drop us a note at www.ourkids.com and dan@goldcoastchronicle.com will add your comments to this review.

Source: Our Kids

Can You Keep a Secret?

By McGruff and Scruff
August 23, 2009

In 1974, a neighborhood crime watch group was organized in South Dade County. Citizens met with their local law enforcement departments to ask what they could do to help the police apprehend a rapist terrorizing their community. From this first informal meeting, communities and law enforcement began to work together to keep neighborhoods safe and free from crime. An organization was formed, and Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade County, Inc. (CCW) was registered as a 501(c) (3) non profit organization. Today, over 1,600 neighborhoods participate in the crime watch concept.

In 1979, the crime watch concept was introduced into the public school system at one school. Because it succeeded in curbing school crime, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) requested we, CCW, expand its student crime watch program from one school to include all public schools in the county. Since that time, Youth Crime Watch of Miami-Dade (YCW) has functioned as an allied program of the public schools.

Methodology The public school system contracts with YCW to educate and train students in violence and crime prevention strategies. Children also learn that good citizenship and personal responsibility include watching out for family, friends, schools and community. YCW maintains a presence in all M-DCPS.

The foundation of the YCW program is built upon a “school safety survey” which is administered at the school during the first few months of the school year. It asks respondents to rank their particular safety concerns – those issues which they believe have the potential to cause harm to themselves or their schoolmates. YCW students, student advisors, and our staff are then enlisted in the effort to resolve those issues impeding the safety, health, and education of young people. The results of the survey are prioritized and comprise the core content of the YCW program.

The YCW program is structured to teach leadership skills to students who volunteer to learn about school safety. While they learn how to keep themselves safe, they also learn public speaking, critical thinking, leadership, and other skills that will serve them into their adult lives. This, in turn, reinforces their self-esteem and promotes positive involvement, again curbing misbehavior, crime and violence in the school.

I’m McGruff the Crime Dog – world famous for my advice on how to stop crime before it happens, and for my great sense of humor. But seriously, my job is to help people, especially kids, learn how to be safe and make their neighborhood safer. Something else you should know about me is that I go all over the country to talk to people about how they can take a bite out of crime. So if you see me in your town, come on up and say hi. You can recognize me by my tan trench coat – I never go anywhere without it.

This here is my nephew Scruff. He helps me show kids how they can stay safe. Scruff’s a good pup but sometimes gets himself into a bit of trouble. Lucky for him he’s got a good memory – eventually he remembers the right thing to do to get out of trouble. Want to know more about me and Scruff?

You can read more about yours truly in the story How McGruff Became the Crime Dog, and you can read some of Scruff’s adventures in these comic books. Today’s Tip: Help others in the Community.

You and your friends can help out in your neighborhood by taking some few simple steps each day:
Ask your teacher if you could help by erasing the blackboard, or if he or she needs help carrying supplies.

• Bake some goodies for the elderly people in your community.
• Offer to rake the lawns of those in your neighborhood who are not able to.
• Ask your parents if they need help around the house. For example, offer to fold the laundry while you watch the television…that way you both win!
• Collect donations for a local shelter or Red Cross office. These are just a few ideas that you can do to help out around your community.
• By helping out, you are saying thanks to all those who make your neighborhood great!

Today we will talk about: Can You Keep a Secret?

 

Should you keep it?

Most of the time, it’s okay to keep secrets. Secrets can be fun and make people happy. But sometimes secrets can hurt people. You should never keep secrets like these. Instead, tell the secret to an adult you trust.

Do you know the difference between a good and a bad secret?

A good secret won’t hurt you! And it won’t hurt anyone or anything else.

A bad secret might hurt you, or someone or something else. It might make you, your brother, your sister, or a friend feel sad, scared, uncomfortable, or angry. It might be something that you know is wrong, and you think someone will get in trouble if you break it.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell which secrets are good and which are bad. McGruff has a few examples to help you decide!

Good Secrets to Keep:

• Your mom is planning a surprise party for your dad.
• Your IM password (but you should tell your parents!)
• When you’re staying home alone.
• Your name, address, phone number, and school name – when you’re online.

 

Bad secrets to keep:

• Your brother tells you he’s thinking of joining a gang.
• An adult does something that makes you feel uncomfortable and asks you not to tell.
• Your sister tells you that a boy she met online wants to meet her in person.
• Your friend starts hanging out with older kids who paint graffiti on buildings.

If you’re not sure if a secret is good or bad, ask an adult what they think!

 

Source: McGruff

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Soldier of the Week – First Lieutenant Travis L. Manion

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
August 29, 2009

Editor’s Note:
Hometown:  Doylestown, PA
Awarded: Silver Star

Many believe that leadership is an innate quality rather than something learned. If this is a valid belief then First Lieutenant Travis L. Manion was certainly born a leader. Manion began his military career early as a student at the prestigious U.S. Naval Academy where he excelled academically.

Upon graduating from the academy in 2004, Manion chose to become a Marine Corps officer. Demonstrating his intellect and leadership abilities, this servicemember was commissioned and assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Camp in Pendleton, CA.  Shortly thereafter, he was deployed to Iraq for his first tour of duty in 2005.

Manion and his unit were part of many critical events including support of the election, discovery of weapons caches throughout the region and numerous other Iraqi transition missions.

In September 2006, he was selected as an experienced Iraq veteran and was pulled from 1st Recon to become a part of a military transition team that would train with 10 other Marines that would be attached to an Iraqi Army Battalion in Fallujah.

Staying true to his commitment to public service, Manion geared up on December 26, 2006, for his second tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He served as the company advisor for the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division Military Transition Team, Regimental Combat Team 6, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Manion and his fellow Marines labored diligently to change the outcome in Fallujah, building a brotherhood with the Iraqi Army units and setting the example with strong leadership.

He and his fellow Marines aggressively took the battle to the enemy on multiple missions while mentoring their Iraqi counterparts.  On March 19, 2007, his vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device.  Though disoriented from the attack, Manion checked for secondary devices, and then led the pursuit to the triggerman.  Once identified, he personally apprehended the suspect.  On March 27, 2007, he exposed himself to enemy small arms fire on multiple occasions in order to physically position and direct the return fires of his Iraqi soldiers during a complex enemy attack.  On March 28, he immediately responded to a suicide vehicle-borne IED attack on the Iraqi Barracks at the Fallujah Government Center.  Despite ongoing enemy small arms fire, indirect fire, two suicide vest attacks, a second suicide-vehicle-borne IED, and the heavy presence of chlorine gas, he repeatedly endangered himself by entering the damage barracks to remove casualties, and then by positioning and directing the fires of Iraqi soldiers on the rooftop of the Government Center.

Manion and his fellow Marines fought courageously to change the tide in this critical battle ground.  As a result of their efforts, Al Anbar Province is now recognized as one of the more significant successes of the surge in Iraq.

On April 29, 2007 during his final patrol mission, Manion made the ultimate sacrifice.

His patrol was concluding a search of a suspected insurgent house when it came under precision small arms fire attack.  With the corpsman seriously wounded by enemy fire and the attack developing in to a full-scale ambush, Manion and a fellow Marine exposed themselves to increasing fire to pull the corpsman out of the kill zone.

After recovering the corpsman and administering first aid, Manion led his patrol in a counter attack personally eliminating an enemy position.  As he continued to direct the patrol, another Marine was wounded.  He again moved across the kill zone, under fire by five insurgents, to recover the wounded Marine.  Iraqi Army reinforcements were halted by an IED and were unable to advance on the flank of the insurgents, leaving Manion and his patrol to take fire from three sides.

While fearlessly exposing himself to gain a more advantageous firing position and drawing enemy fire away from the wounded Marines, Manion was fatally wounded by an enemy sniper.

His courageous and deliberate actions inspired the eventual counter attack and ultimately saved the lives of every member of his patrol, according to his medal citation.

“He wouldn’t put anyone in a situation he would not be in himself first,” said David Borek, his brother-in-law and close friend.

Manion was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Silver Star for his heroic actions in Iraq.

As a true testament to how much Manion was admired, the Iraqis named their new headquarters Combat Outpost Manion in honor of him.

Keeping the spirit of his selfless nature alive, The Travis Manion Foundation was created and continues his mission to assist the families of Fallen Heroes and wounded veterans, according to Janet Manion, his mother and executive director of the foundation.

“He was a kid with a big heart, never had a bad word for anyone,” said Tom Manion, his father.  “He was all heart; that is who he was.”

Editor’s Note: Excerpts from articles by Gary Weckselblatt, Bucks County Courier Times, Nov. 29, 2008; by Kenneth Harbaugh with MissionContinues.org; and The North Shore Journal.

• Hometown: Doylestown, PA
• Awarded: The Silver Star

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

 

Source: Our Military

Wish of the Week – Aaron

By MWF
August 27, 2009

Four-year old Aaron wanted more than anything to be a cowboy. Aaron’s wish was a special occasion for him and his family, and it marked a special milestone for the Make-A-Wish Foundation – its 50,000th wish.

Like many little boys his age, Aaron loves horses and wanted to be a cowboy. Aaron’s wish was granted by the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation^® in California. Aaron spent a week as a cowboy on a working ranch near Dillon, Mont.

On the night of his arrival, Aaron was the honored guest at a welcoming barbeque. The next day he was outfitted in a complete new set of “cowboy clothes,” just in time to be introduced to his own ranch horse. He then spent the next few days getting the feel of the saddle, eating cowboy grub around the campfire, attending the Beaverhead County Fair, riding in Dillon’s Labor Day parade, and just enjoying cowboy life under Montana’s famous Big Sky.

When he sees someone wearing a cowboy outfit, he says “They must be from Montana, Mommy.”

Source: Make A Wish Foundation

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Officer of the Week – Sergeant Timothy A. Roy

Remember September 11, 2001
Angels Among Us
Sergeant Timothy A. Roy
Shield 2926
Traffic Control Division Bus Unit
August 26, 2009

 

Editor’s Note: We at the Chronicle, will never forget those police officers, who have given their lives in 9/11. Each week we will honor one with their stories.

This week we feature:

Sergeant Timothy A. Roy
Shield 2926
Traffic Control Division Bus Unit

Timothy Roy was on his way to traffic court when he got the news of the World Trade Center disaster and ran to help. He was last seen in Building 5 helping a burn victim. “That was him. The first one on any scene. Right in there,” said his wife, Stacey.

Roy, 36, is a sergeant for the bus squad of the New York City Police Department. The lifelong Massapequa Park resident is a graduate of Berner High School in Massapequa. He and his wife have three children-Caitlyn, 10, Brittney, 7, and Timmy Jr., 3. Roy, a 16-year veteran of the police department, has eight siblings, including three brothers in the fire department and another brother who is a police officer. Among Roy’s awards is a unit citation for his work during the Crown Heights riot in 1991.

– New York Newsday Victim Database 2001

Source: NYP Angels

Patient of the Week – Talyn Conley

By St. Jude/PIO
August 25, 2009

Talyn Conley
2 years old

Diagnosis: Talyn was found to suffer from bilateral retinoblastoma in April 2008.

Talyn’s Story:

The first indication that something was wrong with Talyn came during a well baby checkup when she was 10 months old. Talyn’s doctor noticed a whiteglare in her eyes and sent Talyn and her mom to a specialist. The news was devastating. Talyn suffered from cancerous tumors in both her eyes, known as bilateral retinoblastoma.

Talyn was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital right away. “We didn’t have time to go home,” said Talyn’s mom. “Once the doctor said weneeded to go to St. Jude, we got right on a plane. Our whole world changed overnight.” Within hours, Talyn and her parents were on their way to Memphis.

At St. Jude:

When they arrived at St. Jude, Talyn’s parents were full of worry, but St. Jude staff assured them that their baby was at the best place possible for her treatment. Talyn underwent seven months of chemotherapy and four laser surgeries on her eyes.

Talyn’s parents felt anxious about the cost of their daughter’s medical treatment, and they were understandably overwhelmed. Talyn’s dad said he would work three jobs if necessary to save his little girl.

But when they learned St. Jude provides treatment regardless of the family’s ability to pay, they were amazed and relieved. “We didn’t know that St. Jude helps out so much,” Talyn’s mom said. “It was a big load off our shoulders.” They were able to focus on what was important—getting Talyn well.

Talyn responded well to treatment. Her doctors are hopeful they were able to save her eyesight. In December, Talyn was able to return home in time for Christmas. She visits St. Jude every six weeks for checkups. Talyn is walking and talking, and has a new puppy with whom she loves to play.

Editor’s Note: To help give hope to children like Talyn who are fighting life-threatening illnesses, please become a Partner In Hope.

We would like to know what you Think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: St Jude Hospital

5 Tips for Cooking with Children

 

By Eversave Families
August 29, 2009

Cooking with your child can be fun but just make sure to be safe while doing it.

1. Make sure your children have a stable work surface.

2. Let them wear an apron so that they really feel like a cook and to keep them from getting their clothes dirty.

3. Teach them about safety issues like not using the same cutting board for meats as you would for vegetables.

4. Let your children work together to make a dinner salad.

5. Based on your child’s age determine which equipment he or she can and cannot use.

Editor’s Note: Can you think of a tip we missed?
Click Here

www.eversave.com

to share your ideas and be featured in one of our next newsletters.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.cim

Source: Eversave

Spicy Macaroni and Cheese

 

by Kate Sonders
August 29, 2009

Macaroni and cheese is dolled up in a creamy sauce with a touch of spice and a crisp, crunchy topping

  

2 cups raw elbow pasta, cooked until almost al dente
16 ounces Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
8 ounces Monterey pepper-jack cheese, cubed
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
4 slices bread
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together pasta with the cheese cubes and pour into a 2-quart baking dish.

2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg, sour cream, egg, heavy cream, and half-and-half. Pour over the pasta and cover with shredded Cheddar.

3. Bake uncovered until top is just beginning to brown, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the bread into crouton-size squares. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter, add cubes and toast until golden. Sprinkle the bread cubes on top of the macaroni and cheese and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Grandparents

Editor’s Note: From our feature Sunny Anderson’s Secret Ingredient

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

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