Cleveland Advocate - News
Happy Halloween!
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| J&B Medical employees get in the spirit of Halloween by holding a dress-up contest. Pictured left to right, are: top row, Gary Santos, Francisco Barajas, Al Vallejo and Nathan Gunter; middle row, Barbara Vick, Jill Kirkonis and Angela Hollie; front row, Carlene Stanley, Susie Theriot and Freida Hernandez, R.N. |
By VANESA BRASHIER
Each year, J&B Medical hosts a Halloween dress-up contest for its employees and this year, that meant a chance to see J&B Medical owner and Cleveland Mayor Jill Kirkonis dressed up as Anne from “Anne of Green Gables.”
The employees competed for first, second and third place. The first place winner was Carlene Stanley, who received a $100 prize for her “Cereal Killer” costume; second place went to Al Vallejo, who received a $50 prize for his “M&M Man” costume; and third place went to Nathan Gunter, who received a $25 prize for his “Wacky Firefighter” costume.
Tonight, the streets of Cleveland will be filled with children out trick-or-treating, so drivers are urged to use caution.
When it comes to the candy treats for the children, the Federal Drug Administration has issued the following tips for parents:
• Children shouldn't snack while they're out trick-or-treating. They should wait until they get home and parents have had a chance to inspect the goodies. To help prevent children from munching, give them a snack or light meal before they go--don't send them out on an empty stomach.
• Tell children not to accept--and, especially, not to eat--anything that isn't commercially wrapped.
• When children bring their treats home, discard any home-made candy or baked goods. Parents of young children should also remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
• If juice or cider is served to children at Halloween parties, make sure it is pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria. Juice or cider that has not been treated will say so on the label.
• In addition, FDA suggests consumers check the information posted on the following page www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/melamine.html#warnings to see a listing of products to avoid this Halloween season, due to possible contamination with melamine. Also, inspect your child’s Halloween treats to make sure there are no items that the FDA is advising consumers to avoid because of possible melamine contamination. If you see any of those products, dispose of them.
Some of the events planned for tonight are:
Starting at 6 p.m. and lasting “until the candy runs out,” First United Methodist Church in Cleveland will host its annual Trick or Trunk. This event is a contest between church members to see who has the best Halloween-decorated automobile trunk of all and candy is given out to children at each of the vehicles.
Last year, over 1,000 kids participated in the event.
Also in Cleveland, Liberty Christian Fellowship (now known as Liberty Church) will hold its annual Hallelujah Fest from 6 to 9 p.m.
Every child who enters the gates receives free tickets for booths and prizes. The church is located at 601 N. Washington Street.
“Hallelujah Fest is a safe place to spend Halloween Night,” said White. “It’s a fun alternative to the madness of Halloween and this is a way to do things that are only good and positive.”
Cornerstone Church will also host a festival on Halloween Night from 6 to 9 p.m. The church is located at 27543 SH 105 West, about two miles west of Cleveland.
The festival will feature free food, various booths, and, of course, a candy give-away.
Cornerstone Church pastor, the Rev. James Holt, said, “It will be a safe, family-friendly environment. Instead of children out walking the streets, they can come here. We have had great success with this event.”
For more information on Cornerstone Church’s event, call 281-592-2281.
The employees competed for first, second and third place. The first place winner was Carlene Stanley, who received a $100 prize for her “Cereal Killer” costume; second place went to Al Vallejo, who received a $50 prize for his “M&M Man” costume; and third place went to Nathan Gunter, who received a $25 prize for his “Wacky Firefighter” costume.
Tonight, the streets of Cleveland will be filled with children out trick-or-treating, so drivers are urged to use caution.
When it comes to the candy treats for the children, the Federal Drug Administration has issued the following tips for parents:
• Children shouldn't snack while they're out trick-or-treating. They should wait until they get home and parents have had a chance to inspect the goodies. To help prevent children from munching, give them a snack or light meal before they go--don't send them out on an empty stomach.
• Tell children not to accept--and, especially, not to eat--anything that isn't commercially wrapped.
• When children bring their treats home, discard any home-made candy or baked goods. Parents of young children should also remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
• If juice or cider is served to children at Halloween parties, make sure it is pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria. Juice or cider that has not been treated will say so on the label.
• In addition, FDA suggests consumers check the information posted on the following page www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/melamine.html#warnings to see a listing of products to avoid this Halloween season, due to possible contamination with melamine. Also, inspect your child’s Halloween treats to make sure there are no items that the FDA is advising consumers to avoid because of possible melamine contamination. If you see any of those products, dispose of them.
Some of the events planned for tonight are:
Starting at 6 p.m. and lasting “until the candy runs out,” First United Methodist Church in Cleveland will host its annual Trick or Trunk. This event is a contest between church members to see who has the best Halloween-decorated automobile trunk of all and candy is given out to children at each of the vehicles.
Last year, over 1,000 kids participated in the event.
Also in Cleveland, Liberty Christian Fellowship (now known as Liberty Church) will hold its annual Hallelujah Fest from 6 to 9 p.m.
Every child who enters the gates receives free tickets for booths and prizes. The church is located at 601 N. Washington Street.
“Hallelujah Fest is a safe place to spend Halloween Night,” said White. “It’s a fun alternative to the madness of Halloween and this is a way to do things that are only good and positive.”
Cornerstone Church will also host a festival on Halloween Night from 6 to 9 p.m. The church is located at 27543 SH 105 West, about two miles west of Cleveland.
The festival will feature free food, various booths, and, of course, a candy give-away.
Cornerstone Church pastor, the Rev. James Holt, said, “It will be a safe, family-friendly environment. Instead of children out walking the streets, they can come here. We have had great success with this event.”
For more information on Cornerstone Church’s event, call 281-592-2281.
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