family parenting - the fayetteville...

PARTYIDEAS

JAZZ FESTIVAL

TEACHING KIDSTO SWIM

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS

48

2212

FAMILYFAMILY&CoastalCarolina

PARENTINGPARENTING

2 | Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING JUNE - JULY 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THRILLS AND CHILLS

CYBER AWARENESS

8 12

OCEAN CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS

BRACES

CALENDAR

Managing Editor

Ena Sellers

Contributing Writer

Allie Landen

Contributing Writer

Sarah Hauck

Graphic Designer

Corey Mitchell II

Sales Manager

Bobby Stone

Senior Account Executive

Tye Rudy

“Family & Parenting” is published 6 times a year. Circulation: 10,000. Distri-bution of this magazine does not con-stitute an endorsement of information,

products or services.

DENTAL CARE 76

14

HURRICANE SEASON 20

18164

PARTY IDEAS

10BLUEBERRYFESTIVAL

ON THE COVER

22TEACHING KIDS TO SWIM

COVER PHOTO BY COUTURE EXPRESSIONS PHOTOGRAPHY

JUNE - JULY 2017 Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING | 3

BY DEENA BOUKNIGHT

Those fortunate enough to have children born in the summer months have

an easy time of party planning. After nine hectic school and sports months, where dashboard dining is a weekly event, many families yearn for simplicity. Thus, a timeless treat for young ones is to make the backyard an oasis: Turn on sprinklers, set out some baby pools, buy colorful squirt guns and a Slip ‘N Slide, and have an ice cream bar.

Yet, there are more elaborate summer birthday options as well. Kiana Montgomery, public relations for Party City, says the company is continually keeping up on pop culture crazes to determine what new themes to offer customers.

A focus this year is on

traditional nautical, “featuring red, white, blue and anchors,” she says. “Seafood Fest” centers on sea life with colorful crab and lobster designs. “Gingham Picnic” is a never-go-out-of-style theme with everything from the typical red-and-white gingham tablecloth to gingham ice cream cups, paper food trays, straws, tent cards and even infl atable buffet coolers.

Favorite characters

Parenting inspiration site Red Tricycle’s 2017 trendiest party pics center on popular entertainment fi gures such as Shopkins. Posters, cupcake wraps, coloring sheets and more are downloadable for free from ShopkinsWorld.com. And with Transformers, Power Rangers and Star Wars continuing to engage new generations of kids, these themes still enthrall.

Last year’s Disney fi lm “Moana”

is this year’s birthday theme with its tropical luau ideas: leis, paper lanterns, pineapple punch, drink umbrellas, tiki torches, grass skirts and fl owers galore. Pinterest ideas for “Moana” are endless.

And though fuzzy-headed plastic troll dolls have been around since the 1960s, the 2016 movie release of “Trolls” sparked an interest in all things crazy-haired. Troll-inspired summer birthday parties involve much singing and dancing — due to the upbeat, catchy soundtrack composed by Justin Timberlake — as well as a beauty bar with funky, colorful wigs, tie-dyed cupcakes and a candy bar.

Red Tricycle also suggests liven-ing up backyard parties with actual live critters. In many areas there are traveling amphibians or petting zoos; or, plan a party at an actual zoo or nature center. Often such facilities offer all-inclusive services

with food, paper products, drinks, setup and cleanup. Just show up with guest of honor and friends.

Perfect for most summer parties are pinatas, which come in every style to coordinate with any theme.

Cake ideas

With interesting party themes come new summer cake creations. While adults expect cakes to be both visually appealing and deli-cious, children are wowed by color and style. The more the merrier. One idea on the Anges de Sucre Artisan Patisserie site for a 2017 cake is a tiered version overfl ow-ing with colorful macaroons, small frosted and sprinkled doughnuts, cake cones, dripping frosting and – of course – at least one large number candle to denote the age of the birthday boy or girl.

Cake pops are still a hit, as are cupcake tiers, trees and stands.

FREEPIK.CO

M

Summer birthday

party ideas


What is the right age for

braces? Dental braces have been used

for decades to correct various alignment and spacing issues in the teeth. Braces can be crucial to the future of one’s oral health and prevent serious issues down the line.

Roughly 25 percent of the people in North America who get braces are adults. But braces still are geared toward young people and getting them on the road to straight and properly aligned teeth early on.

Braces correct a number of problems, including realigning the jaw and alleviating over-crowding of teeth. Crooked teeth can trap food and debris between them, making it harder to fl oss and brush. Wearing braces also corrects the bite. If teeth or jaws

are not aligned correctly, it can lead to diffi culty chewing food or create jaw muscle pain. Braces also may boost self-confi dence because they can remedy appearance issues that may prove embarrassing.

Parents eager to get their children on the road to straighter teeth may wonder when is the right time to get their kids braces. Many kids are getting braces earlier and earlier, but when to get braces typically depends on the child and the shape of his or her teeth.

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that children see an orthodontist for an evaluation by age seven. The best time for braces will be when the orthodontist and parents collec-tively decide it’s time to correct the misalignment of a child’s teeth.

Some orthodontists prefer a two-stage approach to orthodontic treatment. They may use a dental appliance or a preliminary amount of braces to begin moving the teeth while a child still has most of his primary teeth. The second stage begins when all the permanent teeth are in. The thought is to shorten the overall duration of treatment.

Other orthodontists follow the tra-ditional approach of putting on braces once all the primary teeth have fallen out. This occurs between ages nine and 14. This is often a less expensive approach because braces need only be applied and removed once.

A number of studies have shown that, for common problems alleviat-ed with orthodontic work, young-sters are better off waiting until all of their permanent teeth have come

in. Antonio Secchi, a professor of orthodontics at the University of Pennsylvania, notes that if parents choose to treat crooked teeth too early, the child may need another phase of intervention a few years down the road.

Some problems, like crossbites, overbites or severe overcrowding, warrant early intervention. Sched-uling an orthodontic visit early on means children can get the care they need when they need it. The ortho-dontist will be able to monitor how teeth are growing in and map out the best treatment plan for all.

Braces can help fi x an imper-fect smile and alleviate oral health concerns. Parents should speak to a dentist or make an appointment with an orthodontist to evaluate their children’s treatment needs.


Parents of young children know that getting kids to brush their teeth can some-times feel like pulling teeth. Kids have a long history of disliking dental care, which can frustrate parents who know the importance and long-lasting benefi ts of prop-er dental hygiene.

While many youngsters may never excitedly run to the bathroom to brush their teeth, parents can try various approaches to get kids to em-brace proper dental care.

START EARLYParents should not hesitate

to begin cleaning kids’ teeth once the fi rst tooth appears. The earlier dental care is part of a child’s routine, the more likely he or she is to accept it as part of everyday life. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends using a soft-bristled brush with a small head. Ideally, use a toothbrush designed for infants, brushing teeth once per day at bedtime. The AAPD advises taking kids to visit a pediatric dentist when the fi rst tooth appears, or no lat-er than the child’s fi rst birthday.

MAKE IT A GROUP EFFORTYoung children love to

imitate their parents’ actions and behaviors, and moms and dads can use that adoration to their advantage when trying to get kids to brush their teeth. Brush teeth together as a family, making it seem like an enjoy-able twice-daily activity. Get down on kids’ level and show them how to brush. If kids are resistant, engage them in conversation while brushing so they don’t even realize they’re cleaning away.

Involve kids in choosing their dental care products.

While parents should be mindful of the type of tooth-

brush their children use, al-ways sticking with products recommended by their child’s pediatric dentist, let youngsters choose their toothbrush and toothpaste. Kids might prefer a particular fl avor of toothpaste, and a colorful toothbrush with a favorite fi lm or television character might make kids more enthusiastic and less fussy about brushing.

GIVE COMPLIMENTS When pediatric dentist ap-

pointments go well, compliment children and express your pride in them for taking dental hy-giene as seriously as they do.

Encouraging kids to take care of their teeth JUNE - JULY 2017 Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING | 7

BY COREY MITCHELL II

Ocean City to hold 8th annual Jazz Festival

ood, fun and good music is what’s in store this summer on the f irst weekend of July. Ocean City Beach is celebrat ing

its 8th annual Ocean City Jazz Fest ival. Open to the publ ic, the fest ival is a great summer get-away for famil ies, couples and friends. Arranged by members of the Ocean City Cit izens Beach Council, a non-prof it organiza-t ion, the fest ival features world class Jazz musicians who wil l headl ine two days packed with fun and excitement.

The Ocean City Jazz Fest ival was original ly created to sustain the legacy and culture of Ocean City. According to Carla Tor-rey, Ocean City Cit izens Beach

Council secretary and event organizer, the council wanted a summer family celebrat ion that could commemorate Ocean City’s 60th anniversary in 2009.

The OCBCC bel ieved a Jazz Fest ival would be the best ve-hicle and approach worthy of representing their beloved city, and wanted it to appeal to the African-American community, seeing that Ocean City was the f irst North Carol ina coastal community to al low blacks to purchase land.

“The thought was for the Jazz Fest ival to bring the communi-ty together and something that spoke to African-Americans,” said Mrs. Torrey.

Since its inception nearly a de-cade ago, the fest ival has gained

popularity becoming one of the biggest events held in Ocean City.

According to Craig and Carla Torrey, one of the fest i-val’s biggest successes has been the abil ity to bring large crowds to celebrate the city’s diversity and historical roots.

The fest ival’s continuing suc-cess is part ial ly shown by the abil i-ty to bring in world class musicians, l ike Randy Brecker, who

are wil l ing to support the cause even without the major event status that other fest ivals have.

“Being able to have qual ity art ists perform-ing at a small scale event means a lot for the success of the fest ival and has been important to its growth,” said Mrs. Torrey.

The l ineup for the two-day event includes Jackiem Joyner, Gerald Veasley, Wycl iffe Gordon, Randy Brecker, Lao Tizer with special guest Karen Briggs, John Brown Quintet, John

Dil lard and Lynn Grissett Quartet.According to the Torreys,

F


support, both physically and finan-cially, has been extremely important to make the event possible.“Having the backing of the local busi-nesses, has been important to helping us stay afl oat,” said Mr. Torrey.

When asked their favorite part of the festival they offered simi-lar responses. Of course after Mr. Torrey expressed his love for the “great food, cold beverages and great music!” Mrs. Torrey mentioned how much she loved the intimate atmo-sphere of the festival. She expressed how everyone is bonding, engaging and giving the musicians their full undivided attention.

Overal l , the Torrey’s are very appreciat ive and proud of the ac-compl ishments and success of the Ocean City Jazz Fest ival. “It’s been everything and more than we could have dreamed it would be,” said

Mrs. Torrey.“We plan to continue to improve

the attendee’s experience, while mak-ing sure the culture and history isn’t lost,” said Mr. Torrey.

Over the past eight years the festi-val has attracted people from various cities across the states. The festi-val provides a fun filled, energetic environment for family and friends to enjoy good food, along with great music at an event rich in history and culture. Thanks to the support of the community, Ocean City’s Jazz Festi-val will continue to be a trademark event for Topsail Island.

If looking for a family trip or a weekend getaway, the 8th annual Ocean City Jazz Festival will take place July 1st and 2nd from 5 to 9 p.m. on both days. For more informa-tion, visit www.oceancityjazzfest.com or call 910-459-9263.


BY ENA SELLERS

Blueberry season is here! With temperatures rising and families ready to enjoy outside activities, the quaint historical town of Burgaw is gearing up for one of their biggest events of the year, the annual North Carolina Blueberry Festival June 16 and 17.

On its 14th iteration, the festival is set to bring fun for the entire family. The event will feature a street fair showcasing a large selec-tion of arts and crafts vendors, a 5K run, a shag contest, a barbecue cook off and even a car show among many other activities.

Celebrations will kick off June 16 with The Fantastic Shackers taking the main stage downtown at 7 p.m.

“Our festival has something for everyone,” said Olivia Dawson, festival coordinator. “Our festival celebrates the importance of the blueberry industry within our area while giving back to our community.”

On Saturday, activities will kick off with

the annual 5K run followed by the Tour de Blueberry Ride.

The festival will open at 9 a.m., giving par-ticipants a chance to enjoy a large selection of arts and crafts, visit with local artists and shop to their heart’s content. Scholarship recipients and contest winners will be announced at noon during the offi cial opening ceremony, which will be followed by a performance by the Band of Oz.

Participants will have a chance to show off their dancing skills during the Shag Contest from 3 to 4 p.m. and enjoy performances by Bryan Mayer and Ken Knox & Company after.

According to Pete Cowan, one of the found-ers of the North Carolina Blueberry Festival, what started over a decade ago as a way to support the growing blueberry industry, has bloomed into a two-day event that brings hun-dreds of people from all over the country.

For more information about the festival, visit www.ncblueberryfestival.com.

2017 North CarolinaBlueberry Festival


Courtesy photo from Town of Surf City

BY SARAH HAUCK

Curling smoke from barbecue grills, patriotic parades with music and variations of red, white and blue, and upturned heads as fireworks explode in the night sky are staples when celebrating the Fourth of July. Thanks to the coastal loca-tion, area celebrations tend to take on unique twists like fireworks over the water or events along the coast. The Carolina Coast offers a variety of July 4th cele-brations: big and small, live music or vendors. Whatever vision a person has for celebrating the Fourth, one of the many area cele-brations can offer just what

they are looking for out of the holiday.

Jacksonville: Freedom Festival For the last three decades Onslow County has hosted the Freedom Festival. This year the event will kick off at 3 p.m., July 4 at the Onslow Pines Park.The event has everything for a family evening, including car-nival rides, a petting zoo, crafts and food vendors, along with live-music performances and a traditional fireworks display, which is expected to last 15 minutes.“The Onslow County Freedom Festival has become a tradition for families. People have made the Freedom Festival a part of

their July 4 memories for years,” said Riley Eversull, Onslow County communications special-ist. “They spend the day picnick-ing in the park with their family and friends, and look forward to a special fireworks display to cap of their day.”Gates for the free event open at 3 p.m. with entertainment until 9 p.m. when fireworks are set to kickoff. For more information, visit www.onslowcountync.gov.

Camp Lejeune: Fourth of July Celebration For information about the Fourth of July celebration aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, visit www.mccslejeune-newriver.com.

Surf City: Independence Day Celebration Located just 40 minutes from Jacksonville, Surf City will be hosting their annual Indepen-dence Day Celebration July 3 at Soundside Park. According to Stephanie Edwards Hobbs, Surf City town clerk and event coordinator, the small ocean-side town’s event offers a multitude of reasons to venture

Celebrating America’sCelebrating America’sIndependence


to the coast. “The July 3rd Celebration is a wonderful family event offer-ing live music, concessions and fireworks,” said Hobbs. The Johnny White & Elite Band will kick start the event with their show at 7 p.m. The fireworks will start at dusk and will take place over the water.The event is free to attend, however, parking is limited. A map for available parking areas is available at www.townofsurf-city.com.

Holly Ridge: Liberty FestivalHolly Ridge prides itself on creating a patriot, fami-ly-friendly event to celebrate the Fourth of July. This year the celebrations will kick off at 3 p.m. at the Holly Ridge Municipal Park.For more than a decade, live music, food, fireworks and lo-cal arts and crafts vendors have been staples of the free event. Children can enjoy face paint-ing and a bouncy castle, while a DJ entertains the crowds from 3-5 p.m., followed by a perfor-mance by The Carolina Band, from 6-9 p.m.The music will be replaced at that time by the fireworks that Marsha-Gray Kircher, Parks and Recreation director for the town of Holly Ridge, said are her favorite part of the event. “There is a lot of patriotism in Holly Ridge, as Camp Davis

was once an active base,” said Kircher. “We have a lot of active military that reside here, as well as veterans.”For more information, call 910-329-7081 or visit www.townof-hollyridge.net.

Wilmington: 4th of July CelebrationWilmington riverfrontRecognized by Coastal Living Magazine as one of the top spots in the country to celebrate the Fourth of July, Wilmington’s location to the riverfront gives celebrating the fourth a bit of a twist. According to R.T. Jones, event coordination specialist for the City of Wilmington Parks and Recreation, the town expects between 40-50,000 people f lock to the downtown area and enjoy the vendors, live music on the concert stage and the fireworks display. The free event begins at 5 p.m. with the fireworks display at 9:05 p.m. “(My favorite part is) the maj-esty of the USS North Carolina Battleship with the fireworks bursting above as well as the smiles on the children’s faces,” said Jones. On-street metered parking is free for the day, with city and coun-ty parking decks charging a $7 event fee. For more information, call 910-772-4177 or visit www.wilmingtonnc.gov.


Summer has arrived, and scores of thrill seekers have begun to visit their favorite amuse-ment parks as they test their mettle on looping, free-falling roller coasters.

Many historians credit Russians with inventing the fi rst roller coasters, which may have been inspired by Russian ice slides. How-ever, others suggest it was the French who fi rst added wheels to slides and therefore created something that re-sembles the modern-day roller coaster.

LaMarcus Adna Thompson, an American inventor widely considered the father of grav-ity rides, obtained a patent for roller coasters on Jan. 20, 1885. Thompson worked on Switchback Railway, which opened at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York in 1884. Coney Island would one day become home to another histor-ical roller coaster when, in June of 1927, the Cyclone opened. Still functional to this day, the Cyclone has been declared a New York City landmark.

Today roller coasters are found all over the world, and North America plays home to several top-rated roll-er coasters. Thrill seekers can make summer pilgrimages to amusement parks to determine if the following

coasters live up to their reputations.

LEVIATHANThe Leviathan coaster is located

at Canada’s Wonderland in On-tario. It makes top roller coaster lists because of its size and speed. Leviathan can travel 92 mph.

MILLENIUM FORCEThis thrilling coaster in Ohio’s

Cedar Point Park reaches a maximum height of 310 feet and can top speeds of 93 mph. Amusement Today magazine routinely ranks this coaster as one of the best in the world.

THE DESPERADORiders can plummet 225 feet at

80 mph on this coaster located at Buffalo Bill’s Casino in Nevada. Expect some free-f loating air time and amazing views of the desert.

NITRO AND KINGDA KAThese two coasters are locat-

ed at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Nitro is a steel coaster with 5,394 feet of track. A series of large drops and various curves keep thrill seekers happy. Kingda Ka is the tallest and sec-ond fastest coaster in the United States. The train is launched by a hydraulic mechanism that takes riders from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds and climbs to the top of the main tower, a height of 456 feet.

APOLLOÕS CHARIOTOpened in 1998, this coaster in

Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia features eight air-time hills.

NEW TEXAS GIANTFor many years, visitors to

Six Flags Over Texas enjoyed the famed wooden roller coaster ‘Texas Giant.’ But over the years the ride became rough and un-comfortable so, in 2011, the park unveiled the New Texas Giant after an 18-month refurbishment to replace the track with steel.

These are just a few of the coasters that dot North America’s amusement park landscape. Thrill seekers unable to make it to any of these legendary rides can no doubt get their thrills on coasters closer to home.

Coast through summer with

.

e

ore

oller

on, ly av-for 885.chback oney

ork in Cedar Point

Park reaches a maximum height of

NT

ed ain NcoasericurKinondStathydridesecthefe

BV

Six the

thrills & chills14 | Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING JUNE - JULY 2017

The internet can be an invaluable resource that has forever changed the way people live their lives. But the ever-changing internet can be a safety risk, and families must always be on guard to keep themselves safe. The potential dangers of the internet can affect both children and adults. Here are some ways families can protect themselves and still get the most out of the web.

Many devices come with security features and fi lters that can limit access to certain content. Limits can be established based on age or even by preventing access to specifi c websites. Whenever a new app is installed, parents should read through the usage information and peruse the security settings. This is especially import-ant for social apps. Restrict who can access account information or profi les by toggling between ‘public’ and ‘private’ in the settings when applicable.

Filtering software can be used for streaming movies. ClearPlay, for example, can be set to remove certain parameters, like nudity, sexual dialogue and profanity.

Instances of cyberbullying have grown alongside the popularity of the internet. Cyberbullies tease and taunt through email, social media and other online modes of communication. The organiza-tion NoBullying says that 52 percent of young people in the United Kingdom report being cyberbullied, but many will not confi de in their parents when the abuse occurs. More than half of young people in North America also have experienced cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can take many forms, including sending mean messages or threats, spreading rumors, posting hurtful messages on social media, stealing account information, sending damaging messages, and circulating sexual-ly suggestive pictures or messages about a person.Anyone, regardless of age, who spends time on social media can fall victim to cyberbullying.

By blocking people and limiting the amount of personal information they share online, indi-viduals can reduce the likelihood that they will be victimized by cyberbullies.

Many people do not fully grasp that the internet creates a trail of information that never real-ly goes away. Computer security experts warn that what goes on the internet tends to stay on the internet, even when one thinks he or she has deleted it. What’s more, a person can never verify if a person has made a copy of a post or a picture and saved it. Images, opinions and more can come back to haunt people who post them online. Stop and think before putting information online. If users might one day be uncomfortable discussing something they shared online, then they should resist the temptation to share it in the fi rst place.Many families rely on the internet every day. Families should always give careful consideration to the information they share online, holding back any details that might be private or put their security at risk.

Keeping your family safe

Set up fi lters

Recognize cyberbullying Understand digital permanence

Families must emphasizeFamilies must emphasizecyber awarenesscyber awareness


Onslow Winds Concert AmericanaJUNE 6, 7 P.M.Join the Onslow Winds Community Band on June 6 as they present their fi rst concert during the Tuesdays in the Park concert series at Riverwalk Crossing Park. The theme will be “Americana” featuring songs by American composers and other favorites. Rain location: Southwest High School Auditorium. Visit www.onslowwinds.com for more details.

Summer Concert SeriesJUNE 9, 6-8 P.MMusic lovers can enjoy an evening in the park listening to great area bands during the Jacksonville’s Summer Concert Series. On June 9, Steele County Express, a modern country and rock band based in Eastern NC will deliver a high energy show, playing all your current favorites and a few classics at the Riverwalk Crossing Park. For more information, call 910-938-5312.

Family Park Days: Family Field DayJUNE 17, 10 A.M-NOONGather your family and friends for some friendly competition at the North East Creek Park for a fi eld day with a wacky twist. Adults take a step back into elementary school fi eld days and kids have fun competing against their parents and family. Don’t miss out on fun activities such as the team potato sack race, crazy obstacle courses, cheeseball head challenge, rubber chicken javelin and more. For more information, visit www.jacksonvillenc.gov/recreation.

Onslow Winds Concert “Give My Regards to Broadway”JUNE 20, 7 P.MJoin the Onslow Winds Community Band as they present “Give My Regards to Broadway” featuring songs from popular Broadway musical during the Tuesdays in the Park concert series at the Riverwalk Crossing Park. Rain location: Southwest High School Auditorium. Visit www.onslowwinds.com for more details.

Standup PaddleboardJUNE 22 THROUGH AUG. 24, 9 A.M Swansboro Parks and Recreation is offering paddle boarding classes. Enjoy the outdoors and learn basic stand up paddle board skills. Experienced or not, stand-up paddling is enjoyed by children of all ages. CPR certifi ed experienced instructors lead the class. Boards, paddles and life vest are provided. Child must know how to swim. Class is for youth ages 9-12; pre-registration is required by June 21. For more information, call 910-326-2600.

Summer Concert SeriesJUNE 23, 6-8 P.M Music lovers can enjoy an evening in the park listening to great area bands during the Jacksonville’s Summer Concert Series. On June 23, Selah Dubb, will deliver modern day Surf-Reggae-Rock from the Carolina coast. Bring your dancing boots to the Riverwalk Crossing Park, for this is no

sleepy time reggae! For more information, call 910-938-5312.

Time For TwosJUNE 27, 10:30 A.M Parents and caregivers can learn fun ways to help build early literacy skills that children need to become successful readers, during the Time for Twos event at the Onslow County Main Library. Early literacy story time introduces books, reading and language through age-appropriate stories, songs, rhymes and movement for children ages 24-36 months. For more information, call 910-455-7350.

Teen Summer Reading KickoffJUNE 30, 6:30 P.M The Onslow County Main Library will host their teen summer reading kickoff for children grades 6-12 on June 30. Register for summer reading and to play video games with the Rockin’ Party Bus. For more information, call 910-455-7350.

July 4 Freedom FestivalJULY 4, 5 P.MEnjoy a great family festival Tuesday July 4 at the 34th annual Onslow County Parks and Recreation Fourth of July Freedom Festival held at Onslow Pines Park, the event offers games, food, rides, face painting and vendors. Guests will enjoy the very best in musical

COMMUNITYCALENDAR


Park. For more information, call 910-938-5312.

Family Park Days: Bubble Bash!JULY 15, 10 A.M- NOON Enjoy a day with bubbles at Phillips Park. Have fun blowing and popping your own bubbles and making a bubble wand. A ‘bubbleologist’ will also be there to demonstrate some awesome tricks and teach you how to create your own bubble fun. For more information, call 910-938-5312.

Onslow Winds Concert “The Big Picture”JULY 18, 7 P.M Join the Onslow Winds Community Band as they present “The Big Picture” featuring songs from hit movies during the Tuesdays in the Park concert series at Riverwalk Crossing Park. Rain location: Southwest High School Auditorium. Visit www.onslowwinds.com for more details.

North Carolina Polynesian FestivalJULY 21 AND 22 Enjoy a great family festival July 21 and 22. Onslow County Parks and Recreation presents the Polynesian Festival at Onslow Pines Park. The event offers games, food, rides, face painting and vendors. Guests will enjoy the very best in entertainment featuring Hawaiian, Samoan and Tahitian dancers. For more information, call 910-347-5332.

Movie in the ParkJULY 21, 7 P.M Movie in the Park takes place every other Friday at the Jacksonville Commons. Family fun activities begin at 7 p.m. “Finding Nemo” will start at sunset. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, sit back and enjoy the show. Concessions are available for purchase. Rain location: Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center. For more information, call 910-938-5312.

entertainment with headliner performances by The Embers and close the evening with a patriotic fi reworks display at 9 p.m. For more information, call 910-347-5332 or visit www.onslowcountync.gov.

Movie in the ParkJULY 7, 7 P.M Movie in the Park takes place every other Friday at the Jacksonville Commons. Family fun activities begin at 7 p.m. and the movie starts at sunset. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, sit back and enjoy the show! Concessions are available for purchase. Rain location: Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center. The featured movie is “Kubo.” For more information, call 910-938-5312.

Summer Concert SeriesJULY 14, 6-8 P.M Enjoy an evening in the park listening to Inlyn Gruve during the Jacksonville’s Summer Concert Series at the Riverwalk Crossing


BY ALLIE LANDEN

It’s better to be safe than sorry, espe-cially during hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season typically runs from June 1 until Nov. 30 with the highest volume of hurricanes hitting the East Coast from mid-Au-gust to mid-October. Below are some hurricane safety tips to keep in mind this summer and fall.

BE AWARE.

Follow the local weather channels to stay abreast of concerning weath-er patterns. Unlike some natural disasters, incoming hurricanes are not sudden developments. Hurri-canes begin their life cycle simply, as a group of thunderstorms. As the thunderstorms build and strengthen, the system becomes classifi ed as a tropical depression when the wind speed rises above 25 miles an hour. The depression becomes a tropical storm when its winds are between 39 to 73 miles an hour, and the sys-tem becomes known as a Category One hurricane when its winds reach 74 miles an hour. As a tropical de-pression or tropical storm, the storm system doesn’t cause as much wind damage, but can still cause major fl ooding, especially in low-lying ar-eas. Don’t ignore an incoming storm simply because it has been down-graded to a storm or depression. On Aug. 26, 2005, after crossing over Florida, Hurricane Katrina was reclassifi ed to a tropical storm. The next day, Hurricane Katrina gained

enough strength to be reclassifi ed a Category Three, then the hurricane became a Category 5 the next day. Hurricane Katrina became one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to form in the Atlantic, going from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just 58 hours.

BE PREPARED.

“I regret being over-prepared for this storm,” said no one, ever. Even though hurricanes come with plenty of fair warning, the magnitude, di-rection and longevity of a hurricane can be a surprise. If you are in the path of a category one hurricane, you still want to be prepared for a higher category disaster since hur-ricanes can gather strength quickly. It’s not uncommon for a group of storms to skip tropical depression classifi cation and go straight to tropi-cal storm. Direction of hurricanes is usually predicted as well, but may veer off hitting a nearby area. The longevity of a hurricane can radically affect preparedness. Your disaster supply kit should be set up in advance, as supplies quickly become scarce just before a hurri-cane hits. Last-minute preparations cannot take the place of well-thought-out emergency gear.Here are some key items which should be included in any disaster supply kit:

1. Non-perishable food. Canned goods, nutrition bars, pret-

zels, dried fruits, canned meats, rice and pasta are all good examples of non-perishable items. Remember to pack a non-electric can opener in the kit as well.

2. Family-member specifi c items. If you have an infant or elderly adult, you must take their dietary needs into consideration. Pack formula, bottles, diapers and med-ication. Pack the bag as if you are taking a week-long vacation. If you have pets, you’ll have to pack for them as well. Make sure you plan for your pet’s well-being with pet food, immunization records, a crate, collar and leash.

3. Supplies. During a hurricane, you’ll likely lose power. You can obviously splurge on a generator, but that’s not a necessity. You’ll need a fl ashlight for every per-son in the house and extra batteries. It’s nice to have a backup charger for your cell phone, but ideally, cell phones should be turned off and used for emergency purposes only. More necessities include a fi rst aid kit, toilet paper, personal hygiene items and trash bags.

4. Water. Just because the electricity goes out, doesn’t mean the water doesn’t work, but the water may be contaminated and unsafe for consumption. Each person in the house should have one gallon of water per day. In my house, we

would always fi ll the bath tubs with water before a hurricane came, just to be sure.

5. Important documents. Gather all your personal documents including wills, birth certifi cates, so-cial security cards, important family numbers and insurance policies. Store them in a waterproof contain-er and put them in a safe place.

BE RESPONSIBLE.

“Families must take the necessary precautions and take a proactive approach as we head into the 2017 hurricane season,” said Jojo Cariaso, program coordinator for the City of Jacksonville. “Although a storm may not directly make landfall in our area, the following weeks could have a direct effect on our community. Power outages, blocked roadways and fl ooding are real and major concerns. Families should prepare themselves to sustain for a period of time without basic utilities and conveniences that we often take for granted.”As the longevity of a storm is often variable, residents should be prepared with enough supplies for an extended period of time. Don’t plan on going out in the hurricane for more supplies, as the roads are dangerous, and many businesses are closed during a natural disaster.Natural disasters are a real threat to coastal communities, so take them seriously and stay safe.

Keep your family safe Keep your family safe this hurricane seasonthis hurricane season


Swimming is a popular activity once temperatures heat up. Millions of people fl ock to beaches to dip their toes in the water, and scores more spend afternoons exploring the depths of backyard pools.Upon being introduced to the water, younger children may be somewhat apprehensive, as swim-ming in pools or oceans can be intimidating to youngsters. Parents should exercise extreme cau-tion when teaching kids to swim, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that more than one in fi ve fatal drowning victims are children under the age of 14. Although swimming can be dangerous, experts in pediatric and adolescent medicine affi rm that par-ticipation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning considerably. Children whose parents swim may be eager to join mom and dad in the pool. The following are some tips for parents as they start to develop a plan to teach their kids to swim.

WAIT UNTIL THE CHILD IS DEVELOPMEN-TALLY READY.The American Association of Pediatrics recom-mends that parents wait until after a child’s fourth birthday to teach them how to swim. This is when children have developed enough to understand com-mands and have the motor skils required for swim-ming. At this point, parents can register children for swimming lessons with trained instructors.

INTRODUCE PLAYING IN THE WATER EARLY ON.Parents should make sure their children grow ac-customed to playing in the water. Many kids start to like the water around the time they become toddlers, when bathing introduces them to splashing and bob-bing toys. Use these opportunities to take your child into the water, so he or she acclimates to feeling the water on his or her body and face. Kids can sit with adults on pool steps or retrieve toys from within reach. An adult always should be nearby.

WAIT BEFORE SUBMERGING KIDS.The American Red Cross says to wait until a child is around age three before submerging him or her un-der the water. Young kids can swallow a lot of water, which can be dangerous. Sputtering water also may turn a child off to swimming completely.Begin in calm water.The open ocean can be daunting, even to adults. So it might be better to begin swimming lessons in a calm body of water, such as a lake or pool.

INVEST IN FORMAL SWIMMING LESSONS.Parental perceptions and anxieties may interfere with parents’ abilities to properly teach their children how to swim. Therefore, hire third-party professional instructors to teach kids to swim. The Red Cross can put you in touch with certifi ed swimming instructors who also are knowledgeable in fi rst aid.As children become more confi dent in the water, they can practice swimming strokes and submerging themselves for underwater swimming.

Teaching kids Teaching kids to swimto swim


family parenting - the fayetteville...

Documents