The Daily News from Lebanon, Pennsylvania • 12

2B Lebanon Daily News, Tuesday, May 6, 2003 Valley Life Tips on keeping in touch with the grandchildren when theyre far away New attractions ready for Hersheyparks 2003 season Claw tops new park rides The Claw will spin passengers six stories in the air when Hersheypark opens its 2003 season on Friday. you offer help, dont make it conditional. For instance, dont tell your adult children that you will watch the grandchildren only if they agree to start putting them to bed by 8:30 p.m. instead of 9:30 p.m. Dont buy affection.

Dont give your grandchildren gifts to win their affection. Spend time with them rather than money on them. Dont go overboard. When you do buy gifts for birthdays, be sure to spend an appropriate amount. While you might think its a grandparents duty to spoil the grandchildren, remember that its better to shower them with love and attention.

Define your role and set boundaries. Discuss with your children what your role as grandparent will be. Tell them what your needs are and how much you want to be involved with the grandchildren. Be up front about how much you are willing to babysit. Then stick to it.

Studies show that inter-generational activities benefit all generations involved. Children deserve the benefits of having grandparents play an active role in their lives. And so do i I i interests the younger set. Two rides, the Mini Pirat and the Mini Scrambler, scaled-down versions of popular adult rides, are new for the season. The Mini Pirat is a boatshaped vehicle with a pendulum swing motion while the Mini Scrambler uses rotation to achieve its thrills.

Officials said more than $5 million has been spent on park improvements for the new season. Park Visitors will also discover a new entrance at the Giant Center and a new park roadway system directing them to the rides and attractions. Hersheypark will launch its 97th season on Friday, May 9. Grand opening weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Special opening festivities, including bands and other entertainment, will be held by the front gate on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. Tickets are $35.95 for ages 9 to 54; $19.95, ages 3 to 8 and 55 to 69, and $15.95 for visitors 70 and older.

Children 2 and under are free. Parking is $6. The park opens daily at 10 a.m. during the regular season. Closing times vary.

Call 1-800-437-7439 or go to www.HersheyPa.com for more information. (From page IB) changed over the years: Children still dont like writing letters. But they love the thrill of getting them. If your grandchildren are part of a blended family, your presence in their lives can be an important stabilizing influence. Whether they are with both of their birth parents or not, the American Association for Retired People (AARP) offers the following advice: Dont try to be the parent.

Youve raised your children; now its their turn. As long as your grandchildrens health and safety are not threatened, let their parents raise them as they see fit. As a grandparent, you can play a vital and distinct role in your grandchildrens lives that complements and enhances the role of parents. Dont compare your adult childrens childrearing techniques with yours. Methods of nurturing, feeding, educating and disciplining children have changed since you raised children.

Dont condemn or belittle your adult childrens approaches because they differ from yours or because you dont understand them. Dont meddle. Dont tell your children how to do things. If they want your advice, they will ask you. If constructed the parks Ferris wheel and Chaos the roughly $1 million installation first thrilled riders in 2001 when it debuted at Thorpe Park in Great Britain, according to Michael Chance, company president.

Another version is also attracting visitors to Great America in Santa Clara, Calif. Frontier Flyers, another new attraction, is similar to the Aerial Joy Ride which long-time park goers may recall was popular through By HOWARD KOLUS Staff Writer The ad might read: Popular amusement park ride for Sale. A crowd pleaser for two decades. Will boost attendance at your facility. Contact Hersheypark for more information.

To make room for new rides debuting with the 2003 season on Friday including The Claw, the first of its kind in the Northeastern the 110-acre park has removed some long-time attractions, keeping one for possible later use, selling two and transferring several Childrens rides to Dutch Wonderland, the parks sister attraction in Lancaster. But officials arent worried Shat visitors will wax nostalgic for the missing rides, not 'with four others ready to take their place for the theme parks 97th season. In addition, the Music Box "Theatre has a whole new look, having been leveled, then rebuilt and expanded onto the site of the old Star Ship America. Seating has been more than doubled to ,850 and state-of-the-art stage lighting and has been installed. But, said Gary Chubb, assistant general manager, facilities, The Claw, a spinning pendulum ride, is expected to draw the most attention.

Carrying 32 passengers whose legs dangle free in individual rotating seats, The Claw, located near the Dry Gulch Railroad, spins in ra circular motion while a pendulum (to which the seats are attached) swings back and forth, reaching a height of 65 feet (about six stories) and tilting to 120 (degrees. Designed and built by Chance Morgan Rides in Wichita, which also fehanon ffailg ffcfarS Allen Ieeaile A t( 1 1 ill CISC KukDougUt It Runs in the Famil ly 4PG-1SI Sat. -1 30. 4 00, 7 30, 9 45, 4 00, 6 30 Tues. 7 30 Thurs.

-1 30. 7 30 the 1960s, having been acquired from the New York Worlds Fair of 1939-40. Two passengers in each of eight cars suspended on cables control their movements by manipulating a front-mounted steering wing. Manufactured by Larson International, in Plain-view, Texas, Frontier Flyers is a newer version of a ride thats been out for many, many years, Chubb said. Children will be pleased to know that park officials havent overlooked what ilffTW11 i garTr i I I I I I '1 i A Rakow is assistant director of Lebanon Family Health Services.

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