Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 14

NEIGHBORS: TUESDAY, HAZLETON, DECEMBER 21, PENNSYLVANIA 1999 Page 12 HINTS FROM HELOISE Watch that cork! Dear Readers: With the biggest Year's Eve of the century coming up, champagne will be flowing more freely than usual all over the world. Aside from avoiding drinking too much of the bubbly, you also need to be careful of the flying cork! According to the organization Prevent Blindness America, the pressure buildup in champagne bottles makes the cork a very real threat to the eyes. In some cases, the pressure can rise to levels that could cause a small explosion if the bottle is broken af ter it has been shaken. Don't shake a bottle of champagne! So how can we prevent this type of injury? First, do not look directly at the cork when removing it from the bottle. Cover the bottle top with a towel when removing the cork.

Always point the bottle away from others who may be standing nearby. Do not try to put the cork back in. The pressure still could release the cork. There are many types of injuries to the eye that can result from being hit by a champagne cork. Prevent Blindness America is offering a free First Aid for Eye Emergencies sticker that gives the first-aid procedures for many different types of eye injuries.

To obtain one, you can call its toll-free hot line at (877) PBA-SITE (722- 7483). This is a great reference to have in your medicine cabinet or first-aid kit. Here's to a safer New Year's Eve! Heloise P.S. How many turns does it take to untwist the wire on a champagne bottle? Normally seven, so keep count. Questions for the doc Dear Heloise: A hint about doctor appointments: Before going to an appointment, I write all of my questions on an index card or paper, and I present the card to my doctor.

Anna Davies, Milan, Ill. Being prepared is always a good idea, and I'm sure your doctor appreciates having your questions in writing, too. Heloise RV hint Dear Heloise: A while back, you asked for RV ideas. We used to camp and travel with a group of RV'ers, and in order to identify our equipment, I assigned a different color to each couple and gave them corresponding rug yarn to tie on folding chairs, coolers, whatever. When we broke camp, there was no problem with who owned what.

Some had identical chairs, so this was a big help. This idea has also spilled over into everyday life. My card tables, water jugs everything I can tie a piece of yarn on wears my color. Camper in Colorado HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Tyler Mintz, son of Janine and Todd Mintz, 50 Ironmaster Road, Drums, third, today. A party was held i in his honor.

Brandon Christian Herling, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris A. Herling, West Hazleton, second, yesterday. A party will be held in his honor.

Schietrumpf marks 100th birthday today Mrs. Minnie Schietrumpf, Myerstown, marks her 100th birthday anniversary today. She was born in Hazleton, Dec. 21, 1899 and is the daughter of the late Karl and Elana Briese. She has one remaining brother, Arthur Briese, Weatherly.

Minnie married Lewis Schietrumpf on Dec. 21, 1928 in St. Paul's United Church of Christ, West Hazleton. Lewis operated a jewelry store in West Hazleton for many years and was a well known clock and watch repairman. They were married for 57 years prior to Lewis' death in 1985.

Mrs. Schietrumpf has two children, Lewis West Hazleton, and Ruth Henney, Myerstown, with whom she resides. She also has three grandchildren. ANNIVERSARY Mr. and Mrs.

Chris A. Herling, West Hazleton, second, Dec. 10. They are the parents of six children, Cristin and Brian Sheman, Mark, Holly, Brandon C. and Tyler A.

Herling. Menu should include foods to meet special dietary needs DEAR MISS MANNERS: Would you please advise me as to how to answer my neighbor's complaint about her family not accommodating her children's dietary needs during the holidays? Her two toddlers have allergies to dairy, wheat, corn and many other foods. My neighbor is upset because her mother-in-law will not change the entire holiday menu so that it meets the needs of her toddlers. She thinks that her family is selfish for not changing the menu so that her kids can eat. For instance, she thinks the whole family should eat mashed potatoes without butter and made with rice milk, so that her children can also eat them.

Would it not be easier for the mother to bring foods that her toddlers can eat rather than forcing the rest of the family to eat allergy-free foods? The menu would truly be limited and not very enjoyable for the rest of the guests. Please advise as to who should provide the food for the allergy- prone toddlers. GENTLE READER: It would be easier on you if your neighbor were to bring her problems to the family to be resolved, and probably easier on the family, too. Miss Manners suspects that what the lady wants from you is support she can use against them, rather than advice, and that when you tell her your opinion, she will not respond, "Yes, I see what you mean." So the problem landed even farther away here but even Miss Manners has to trot back to the family to get the information with which to solve it. This is because family differences should be settled so as best to serve everyone's interests, not according to an impersonal rule.

We know that the child's best interests lie in getting the right foods and feeling that he is a welcome addition to the dinner and not a special burden. But it is also in his best interest, for health as well as social reasons, for him to learn that he cannot eat the same foods everyone else does but must learn to accommodate his special needs without putting others out unduly. Therefore, it is a bad idea to try to change the world, or even this small part of give him the illusion that he needn't worry about his diet, or about making it a burden on others. Yet he is a member of the family, not an occasional guest, and should feel that he can partake in family meals. In addition to the food to which he is allergic, there should be food he can enjoy.

Who. provides this depends on the interests of possible cooks. If the mother-in-law cannot easily manage to provide everything required for all her guests, surely her daughter-in-law who knows the child's needs and tastes better than anyone should offer to help. DEAR MISS MANNERS: How is one supposed to respond when the company Christmas gift to its employees is a donation to a charity in "our" name? This seems like a cheap shot to make the company look conscientious and generous in "our" name. Plus I was angry that they would donate to a charity of their choice in my name.

How can I state my distaste for this act without losing my job? My Mrs. Sylver Kent Brown Joyce Marie Golden weds Sylver Brown Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Duryea, was the setting for the wedding of Joyce Marie Golden to Sylver Kent Brown. The Rev. Al Liberatore officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Stephen and Joan Golden, Sugarloaf.

The groom is the son of Sandra Brown, Harding, and the late Sy Brown, Holidaysburg. Heather Martoccio, Hazleton, was matron of honor, and bridesmaids were Robyn Babcock, Philadelphia, and Suzanne Cunius, Bear Creek. Brett Brown, Philadelphia, was best man for his brother. Ushers were Craig Brown, Los Angeles, Frank Cunius, Bear Creek, and Scott Weiss, Lyndhurst, N.J. A reception was held at The Greenridge Club, Scranton.

The bride is a graduate of Hazleton High School and earned a degree in marketing from Bloomsburg University. She is employed as an account executive at Prudential Investments, Scranton. The groom, a graduate of Full Gospel Academy, earned a degree in marketing from King's College and is employed as an account executive at Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages, Bethlehem. Following a Hawaiian honeymoon, the couple resides in Moosic. News on fads, the stars, news, trivia and more We give you the latest on stars, fads, news, trivia and more! MUNCH ON THIS A couple of handfuls of dry cereal makes a quick grab 'n' go snack.

And now, Post Snack Abouts prepackaged single servings of Honeycomb, Waffle Crisp, Frosted Alpha-Bits and Honey Nut Shredded Wheat make the grabbing even easier. But a package of eight Snack Abouts costs $3, or 37 cents per bag. If you spend that same $3 on a regular-sized box of cereal plus plastic baggies, you can fill nearly 12 snack bags, for just 26 cents per bag. While you're thinking If you pack your own cereal snacks in a reusable container, you'll also keep some trash from polluting the Earth. FAD ALERT! "In my school, it's a fad to spread cream cheese on a bagel with the back of a fork instead of a knife." Hannah SheldonDean, 11, Charlotte, Vt.

"At my school, the girls wear Joanne and Darryl Ledger Joanne Shamany and Darryl Ledger wed MISS MANNERS JUDITH MARTIN co-workers feel the same and we all agreed you would know best. GENTLE READER: Miss Manners is afraid that there is no point in stating your distaste for this distasteful maneuver. Charities don't give refunds. What you want to do is to prevent its becoming a company tradition. You and your co-workers should write a letter of thanks (oh, go ahead, it won't kill you) stating that you are glad the company recognizes its employees' interest in philanthropy, and for that very reason asking to be in on any meetings choosing beneficiaries.

Or you could suggest a matching donation program, by which the company adds to any Christmas donations the employees choose to make. Miss Manners warns you to be prepared to be told that this would make the process too cumbersome. And the answer you should prepare is: "In that case, we would prefer to go back to the traditional system, by which we each take our Christmas bonus from the company and decide how best to use it." Judith Martin is the author of "Miss Manners' Basic Training: The Right Thing to Say" (Crown). Joanne Shamany, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Hugh J. Shamany, Beaver Meadows, and Darryl Ledger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas P. Ledger, Hazleton, were united in marriage in St.

Joseph Church, Hazleton. Monsignor Francis Beeda performed the double ring ceremony. Following a reception at the Valley Country Club, the couple left for a honeymoon in Sandals, Antigua. They now reside in Hazleton. Given in marriage by her father, the bride chose her sister, Debbie McNelis, Hazleton, as matron of honor.

Bridesmaids were DeDe Maylath, Sugarloaf and Mary Ann Miller, Hazleton, sisters of the bride; Lee Burkhardt, Holly Matulevich, Kathy Nemshick and Carrie Rafalli, all of Hazleton. Junior bridesmaids were Stephanie and Rebecca Miller, Hazleton, nieces of the bride. Randi Katz, Massachusetts, the groom's niece, was the flower girl. Serving as best man for his brother was Christopher Ledger, Connecticut, and groomsmen were Matthew Marnell, Drums; Sean Shamany, Sheppton, the bride's cousin; Scot Burkhardt, Joseph Veet, Gary Oswald, all of Hazleton, and Brian Turse, Wyoming. Junior ushers were Michael Maylath, Sugarloaf, and Bryan Fellin, Reading, nephews of the bride and groom, respectively.

A graduate of Penn State University, the bride is pursuing a masters degree at University of Scranton. She is employed by Human Service Consultants, Wyoming. The groom attended Kutztown University and is employed by the City of Hazleton. The bride was honored at a shower given by both mothers, sisters of the bride and groom and bridesmaids at the Valley Country Club, and the rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom's parents at the Library Lounge. Sniffing death should be warning to teens DEAR ABBY: After reading the letter from "Concerned Counselor in Virginia Beach," who wrote about the problem he was having with teen-aged girls who saw no harm in "huffing" (sniffing glue from a spray can) to get high, I had to write.

He asked you for names of celebrities who have died from drug overdoses, which you provided for him in abundance because, sadly, some celebrities, like some teen-agers, think nothing will ever happen to them. Let me tell you a story about a REGULAR person who happened to be my 16- year-old brother. Twenty-nine years ago (yes, I still keep count) my brother, unbeknownst to me, was experimenting with ways to get high. He tried huffing. I was in college at the time.

On March 16, four days before my 20th birthday, I got a phone call at 3 a.m. telling me that my only brother had died. I was devastated. It was the worst time in my life. I still think about it every March 16.

I grew up real quick that week. in to of CONSUMER little purses with long Tory Michak, Northampton, Mass. "The guys at my school paint one of their thumbnails with nail polish." Woodruff, 13, Littleton, Colo. "At my school, boys wear tear ketball pants like wear." the ones basplayers Jake, New York SMOKE WARS Efforts to keep kids from smoking are getting better and New warnings on Canadian cigarette packages may leave little to the imagination. "You smoke, you stink," says one being considered.

"Light up for a slow Please see News, page 13 DEAR ABBY ABIGAIL VAN BUREN Not only did I help my dad arrange the funeral because Mom was totally unable, but a few weeks later, I came home for spring break. I opened the door of his bedroom where he had died to find that it had not been cleaned since his death. It was not a pretty sight. I called my dearest friend, who lived five hours away at the time, and told her. She was there the next morning.

We dealt with cleaning up the blood he had coughed up while his lungs were hemorrhaging and no one could do anything to help. To this day, she is my dearest friend, as 838 even though we have not lived in the same city for 31 years. I deeply regret that my brother never got to grow up, live his life, get married and have children of his own to love. I have always regretted that my children never had the chance to meet and know their wonderful Uncle Mark. If today's teen-agers feel the need to get high, please let them know this is not the way to do it.

Huffing kills! DEBBY BENSON, WILMETTE, ILL. DEAR DEBBY: I offer my deepest sympathy for the loss of your beloved younger brother. I join you in the fervent hope that the story of his tragic, senseless death will serve as a warning to teens who mistakenly believe that "huffing" is a harmless pastime. Thank you for writing. DEAR ABBY: I had to giggle when I read the letter from the reader complaining about the Christmas gifts they had received in years past.

It reminded me of a feminist joke. If you like it, feel free to print it. BURLESON, TEXAS, READER be DEAR READER: It's cute, and I'm sure many people will enjoy it. Read on: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS If on the first Christmas, the three wise st men had been women, they would have asked for directions, arrived on time, le cleaned the stable, helped deliver the baby, (a made a casserole and brought PRACTICAL gifts. WI po To order "How to Write Letters for All Occasions," send a business-size, self- Je addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear bu Abby, Letter Booklet, P.O.

Box 447, Mount go Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is includ- te ed.) ha Abby shares her favorite recipes in two Ci booklets: "Abby's Favorite Recipes" and "Abby's More Favorite Recipes." To order, ot send a business-size, self-addressed enve- lope, plus check or money order for $3.95 per booklet ($4.50 each in Canada) to: Dear Ar Abby Cookbooklets I and I1, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included in price.) Zi.