Thursday, January 17, 2008

Manulife Walk for Memories

JANUARY IS ALZHEIMER AWARENESS MONTH!THE ALZHEIMER SOCIETY OF YORK REGION INVITES YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE BRAIN HEALTH A PERSONAL COMMITMENT AS WE KICK OFF THE NATIONAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN IN YORK REGION WITH THE 2008 MANULIFE WALKFOR MEMORIES.MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR BRAIN HEALTH AT THE 5TH ANNUAL WALK FOR MEMORIES ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2008 AT THE GEORGINA ICE PALACE HALL WITH REGISTRATION AT 9:30 A.M., THE WALK BEGINS AT 10:00 A.M. EVERYONE IS WELCOME…ALL SITES ARE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.You and your team are invited to warm up with Kelly’s Girls Line Dance Team and Sue Sutch of Fitness Force! Join the Mayor and Members of Council and make your own memories!STUDENTS, THE Alzheimer Society of York Region will award a ten hour volunteer certificate for your participation and $100.00 or more in pledges. You will also qualify for a unique collector 2008 Walk for Memories t-shirt. Remember, you can register online, recruit friends and win amazing prizes at www.walkformemories.ca.The Manulife Walk for Memories is also being held at Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket and Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill on Sunday, January 20/08…registration at 9:30 a.m. with the walk beginning at 10:00 a.m.The Alzheimer Society is making it’s own commitment to helping Canadians improve their brain health with the launch of BrainBooster, and online gym of challenging games and puzzles designed to increase mental performance. The gym also features brain-boosting recipes and simple exercises to get people moving. Canadians can access the gym by visiting www.alzheimer.ca. Once there, they can also sign up with their personal “brain” pledge and enter our Puzzled about Alzheimer’s contest, showcased in the February-March issue of Homemakers and Madame Magazines, as well as their online sites.Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder that destroys vital brain cells. Alzheimer’s and related disorders affect an estimated 1 in 13 Canadians over the age of 65, or approximately 450,000 people. Of this number, 160,000 live in Ontario. If a cure is not found, it is estimated that 750,000 Canadians will have Alzheimer’s or a related disorder by the year 2031.The Walk for Memories is an annual event increasing public awareness and support to keep providing vital services, and to continue searching for the cause and a cure. Please help us in our commitment. You can make the connection by visiting our web site at www.alzheimer-york.com for more information regarding the Manulife Walk for Memories and services we provide to the community.Special thanks to our local sponsor True North Imaging for offering help for today and hope for tomorrow! Many thanks for your continued media support and for getting the message to your audiences. Your work is greatly appreciated and recognized.

Press Release - Up to 13 million cases of food poisoning in Canada each year

York Region raising awareness during National Environmental Public Health Week

NEWMARKET – York Region public health inspectors are involved in a variety of education and enforcement initiatives that strive to protect the health and safety of local residents.York Region public health inspectors are responsible for routinely inspecting all York Region food premises on a regular basis to ensure compliance with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Health Promotion and Protection Act (HPPA). This legislation applies to all public restaurants, cafeterias and other premises that prepare or sell food.Public health inspectors also assist in monitoring and identifying factors that impact water quality to ensure that drinking water is safe. Strict provincial regulations and standards are in place to ensure drinking water is safe for consumption.York Region public health inspectors offer the community the following tips to prevent food andwater-borne illnesses caused in the home:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap and warm water prior to preparing, handling, serving and eating food
• Keep hazardous food products (meat, dairy, etc.) below 4°C/40°F and above 60°C/140°F to prevent the growth of harmful micro-organisms and bacteria
• Use a clean probe thermometer to ensure that food has reached the proper internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria
• Avoid cross-contamination of products; keep and store raw meats, poultry and seafood separate from ready-to-eat food
• Serve food immediately after preparation; Discard any food that has been left at room temperature for more than two hours
• Test private well water three times a year; in the spring, summer and fall; if you have had recent work done to the well; or if you notice a change in the colour or odour of the water
• There is no cost to have private well water tested
• Read labels for expiry and best before dates; Do not eat food that has passed its expiry date
• Always use clean dishes and utensils when preparing, handling, serving and eating food
• Never buy dented or bloated canned goods

Each year, the third week in January is designated as National Environmental Public Health Week. York Region joins communities across Canada in recognizing and celebrating the services provided by public health inspectors during this week.

The 2008 National Environmental Public Health Week theme is “The Changing Face of Environmental Health Inspection – Past Present and Future.” This theme reflects the rapidly changing and expanding profession of public health inspection.The responsibilities of public health inspectors have evolved over the years and will continue to expand as the field of public health changes. From collaborating with government agencies to investigate uninspected and ungraded food products, to promotion of clean air initiatives, the ability of public health inspectors to adapt and accept new challenges in the field of public health is invaluable for York Region and our residents.During National Environmental Public Health Week, additional public service announcements will be circulated to the media highlighting more of the important work York Region public health inspectors do to help keep residents healthy and safe.

For more information on this or any other health-related topic, please contact York Region Health Connection at 1 800 361-5653.

For more information on The Regional Municipality of York and our services, please visit www.york.ca

Sports Report

NBA: Toronto 116 Sacramento 91

AHL: Toronto 3 Quad City 2

Tonight

NHL: Toronto at Boston; 7:00pm

OHL: Brampton vs. Kingston; 7:oopm, Powerade Centre

- Eric Rosenhek