ManateE-zine October 2012For Employees By Employees

In This IssueCover Story

Newly Renovated Island Branch Library

Other HeadlinesGayle Altman Employee of the MonthTM Tidbit The Cure for Blanking OutTech Tips Project netFinal Word ldquoVote in this yearrsquos General Electionrdquo

2

Cover StoryAfter months of renovation Island Library reopened on Oct 18

The Island Libraryrsquos 6-month renovation project came to a close and the newly renovated library reopened to the public on Oct 18 Visitors to the renovated library marveled at the new look and vibrant lighting that have transformed the 30-year-old building

Nearly 100 members of the public attended the ribbon cutting and open house ceremony at the library 5701 Marina Drive Holmes Beach on Wed Oct 17 The library will re-opened for regular business the following day Oct 18

ldquoThe grand reopening of the Island Library is just in time for the 30 year anniversary of the buildingrdquo said Neighborhood Services Director Cheri Coryea whose department oversees Manateersquos six local branches ldquoMy favorite new feature is the lighting a request of the original patrons Itrsquos made a magnificent differencerdquo

Commission Chairman John Chappie praised the work of county staff particularly the Property Management Department who did the renovation work

The $238703 renovation project includes reconfigured book shelves new ceiling tiles a new Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system new lighting new car-peting renovated restrooms fresh paint indoors and outdoors new Florida-friendly landscaping irrigation repairs The final cost includes a $50000 contribution from the Friends of the Island Library went to pay for a new checkout counter and book drop area

The library was originally built in 1982 and is now visited by more than 100000 patrons each year The renovation project is being completed on time and on budget

ldquoWersquove made some vital improvements hellip and restored an Island gemrdquo said Ava Ehde Library Services Manager ldquoThe amazingly generous Friends of the Island Library en-abled the design of a new public desk and a meeting room renovation and an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) grant allowed us to put in wheelchair-height drinking foun-tains and desk access Itrsquos been a true collaborative effort for a deserving communityrdquo

For more informa-tion on Manatee Countyrsquos librar-

ies visit them on the web or ldquolikerdquo

them on Facebook

2

Cover StoryAfter months of renovation Island Library reopened on Oct 18

The Island Libraryrsquos 6-month renovation project came to a close and the newly renovated library reopened to the public on Oct 18 Visitors to the renovated library marveled at the new look and vibrant lighting that have transformed the 30-year-old building

Nearly 100 members of the public attended the ribbon cutting and open house ceremony at the library 5701 Marina Drive Holmes Beach on Wed Oct 17 The library will re-opened for regular business the following day Oct 18

ldquoThe grand reopening of the Island Library is just in time for the 30 year anniversary of the buildingrdquo said Neighborhood Services Director Cheri Coryea whose department oversees Manateersquos six local branches ldquoMy favorite new feature is the lighting a request of the original patrons Itrsquos made a magnificent differencerdquo

Commission Chairman John Chappie praised the work of county staff particularly the Property Management Department who did the renovation work

The $238703 renovation project includes reconfigured book shelves new ceiling tiles a new Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system new lighting new car-peting renovated restrooms fresh paint indoors and outdoors new Florida-friendly landscaping irrigation repairs The final cost includes a $50000 contribution from the Friends of the Island Library went to pay for a new checkout counter and book drop area

The library was originally built in 1982 and is now visited by more than 100000 patrons each year The renovation project is being completed on time and on budget

ldquoWersquove made some vital improvements hellip and restored an Island gemrdquo said Ava Ehde Library Services Manager ldquoThe amazingly generous Friends of the Island Library en-abled the design of a new public desk and a meeting room renovation and an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) grant allowed us to put in wheelchair-height drinking foun-tains and desk access Itrsquos been a true collaborative effort for a deserving communityrdquo

For more informa-tion on Manatee Countyrsquos librar-

ies visit them on the web or ldquolikerdquo

them on Facebook

3

Calendar of EventsNovember 2012

To view Parks amp Recreation programs and activities click here

To view Natural Resources events and activities click here

To view Agriculture amp Resource Conserva-tion events and activities click here

Toastmasters TidbitHow To A Cure for Blanking OutMatt Abrahams What research found down memory lane

Forgetting parts of your presentation when standing before an audience can have dramatic and traumatic implications Consider politicians and how memory gaffes can damage their credibility Exhibit A Texas Governor Rick Perry who suf-fered a long memory lapse during an early November 2011 nationally televised debate among US Republican presidential candi-dates Perryrsquos painfully awkward stumble provided endless fodder for political ob-servers media pundits mdash and stand-up comedians

Then just days later fellow US presiden-tial candidate Herman Cain suffered a similar memory lapse when newspaper journalists asked him about US relations with Libya

The public speaking students I teach the executives I coach and the people I inter-viewed for my book Speaking Up without

Freaking Out have all told me that their greatest fear about speaking is forgetting their content Thankfully memory re-search offers some very specific advice for effective remembering mdash tips that can reduce speaking jitters and help us avoid embarrassment

Take care of your body and your memory will follow This sounds like what your parents told you Eat well exercise and get plenty of sleep Unfortunately with a big presentation deadline looming people often fail to heed this simple advice Paying attention to how you treat yourself can alleviate your anxiety and improve your memory In the wake of Perryrsquos and Cainrsquos ldquobrain-freezerdquo moments in the presidential race scientists noted that anxiety fatigue stress and time pressure can all affect the brainrsquos ability to retrieve information

rsaquoEat a balanced meal Anna Miller a nutri-tion professor at De Anza College in

Cupertino Califor-nia suggests eating healthy meal or sub-

stantial snack one to two hours before speaking The meal or

snack should ldquoconsist of healthy carbs lean protein healthy fatsrdquo says Miller ldquoBalance mattersrdquo Complex carbohydrates nuts and oils help in memory formation and reten-tion So like an athlete before an event you might want to carbo-load when pre-paring an important presentation

rsaquoChoose your drinks carefully Caffeine facilitates creativ-ity and productivity but it also can bring on jitters dry mouth and flighty memory So it makes sense to go for an energy drink like Red Bull when preparing a speech but itrsquos not a good idea just before delivering it As for alcohol remember Al-though alcohol might be tempting as a relaxation tool laboratory evidence suggests it causes forgetfulness and ldquoloos-ens the tonguerdquo which might lead to unde-sirable outcomes

Toastmasters Events

All events and meetings are on

Fridays from 1130 am - 1230 pm

November 9

Place Heron Room

November 16Place Public Works

November 30Place Public Works

Learn about Toastmasters by

visiting us on the iNet

4

rsaquoGet physical Exercise can improve memory and reduce anxiety Exercise physiologists

and psychologists have found that

people with lower percent-

ages of body fat

and lower average resting

heart rates handle stressful situations better than those who are not as fit Addi-tionally physical activity increases lung capacity and bolsters mental focus two very important components for competent speaking Finally exercise allows for the release of pent-up anxiety and stress Going for a walk swim or bike ride prior to writing or practicing a speech can really help reduce anxiety and improve perfor-mance The calming effect that results comes not just from getting outside and distancing yourself from your stress but also from your bodyrsquos release of natural endorphins

rsaquoCatch a few Zs Re-search shows that high-quality deep sleep is involved in memory formation So a good nightrsquos sleep helps you feel re-freshed and remem-ber more Dr Arjun Chatterjee a Pulmo-nary Critical Care and Sleep Disorders specialist reports the

importance of sleep ldquoThe two major activi-ties in sleep are restoration and organiza-tion Your memories get organized in reverse order mdash the last thing experienced gets dealt with first Thus to maximize your rest and restoration as well as your memory organization try to get lots of sleep the night before any major presenta-tionrdquo Additionally sleep helps with cre-ativity and energy So a good nightrsquos sleep gets your brain ready to learn and consoli-dates your new memories so that you can recall them more easily

rsaquoWhere you learn is as important as what you learn The location where you practice

your presentation should be similar to where you will present it This concept is called state-dependent learning The con-text in which you learn helps you remem-ber For example if you are going to give a speech in a small room with several win-dows where people will presumably be

quiet and attentive you should practice giving the speech in a small room with windows Practicing in a place similar to where you will be presenting will facilitate your ability to remember Also you will be more confident because you know what to expect from the setting

Consider the what when and how of re-membering

According to Palo Alto (California) Univer-sity Social Sciences Professor Mark Healy ldquoYou can change how you approach prepar-ing and practicing your presentation but your brain never changes its approach to organizing information and consolidating what it knowsrdquo Over the past decade those who have done academic research on remembering have changed their sugges-tions for the best ways to study

Researchers are finding that instead of relying on lengthy cramming sessions varying what you study and taking breaks while learning helps in remembering your content Further this approach reduces anxiety because you are not constantly feeling the heavy weight of time pressure Next self-testing appears more effective than repetition For speakers this new research suggests that you should focus on learning the content of your speech in multiple blocks of time mdash say 20 minutes each mdash with breaks in between These breaks help with long-term remembering and allow the onslaught of stress hormones to abate

While learning you should practice differ-

5

ent portions of your speech rather than fixating on one part until it becomes fully memorized Healy states ldquoBreaking your presentation into manageable cohesive chunks helps your brain organize itself around your presentationrdquo Then rather than simply saying your speech multiple times you should test your recall of the content by asking yourself questions such as ldquoWhat is my central messagerdquo and ldquoHow do I support my third claimrdquo

With help from memory research you can maintain your poise By eating properly exercising sleeping well and focusing on where when how and what you practice you will reduce your anxiety improve your memory and avoid blanking out

Employee of the Month - September 2012

Gayle Altman Utilities

1 What does your job entail Why is it impor-tant I process accounts payable and receiv-ables for the Utilities Southeast Reclamation Facility Bio-solids Facility and MARS Stations I assist with the budget process and I am the insurance coordinator This position is very important to keep the supplies at hand and assist the employees

2 What is the most interesting part of your job The most interesting part for me is multi-tasking with a variety of situations I process the monthly fertilizer report for the Bio-Solids Facility and I enjoy working with Utilities Customer Service and the Purchasing and Finance Department Anytime I have a question or need help there is always a helpful Manatee County employee and I feel proud to be a part of this hard working group

3 What is the strangest thing that has hap-pened on the job The strangest things are the wild animals at my job I have stopped for an alligator crossing the road and Irsquove seen a lot of deer and raccoons

4 Where are you from I have been in Bradenton Florida for six generations

5 What are your hobbies I like to jog read and eat exotic food (sushi Indian and Thai-land dishes) I would love to travel and try the food in many different countries

6 Did you attend college Where What did you study I did not attend college instead I married at 18 and first started with Manatee County at 19 (1979)

7 If you were stranded on an island and could have 3 items what would they be and why I would like to have a Swiss army knife a magnifying glass to start fires and a fishing pole to catch fish

8 What did you want to be when you were a kid I wanted to be a school teacher or an airline stewardess so that I could travel the world

9 Do you have any pets A male kitty named Chandler

10 Whatrsquos your favorite song at the moment Little Big Townrsquos ldquoPontoonrdquo

6

Florida Women in Government Meeting

Wednesday November 14 2012

noonManatee Room

1112 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton

During the meeting we will be assem-

bling Thanksgiving Totes and deliver to

Salvation Army

Florida Women in Government Silent

Auction amp BreakfastFriday November 16

8 am Lobby of Adminis-

tration BuildingBreakfast will be

served until sold out Silent Auction ends

at 1 pm

Kudos CornerTo view the kudos information click on the link which will take you to the PDF file on the iNet

September 2012

Community ServicesJohn Weldon Sr Veterans Services Counselor

Building amp Development ServicesFrank Ross Sr Construction Inspections OfficerArdath Melton Permitting Tech IITravis Latimer Code Enforcement Officer

Team EffortConvention amp Visitors Bureau StaffProperty Management StaffJeff Wilson Building SupervisorEarl Hasenflu Commercial ElectricianRodney Terrell Senior Building Trades WorkerMike Hotaling IT Security ManagerBill Kersey Network Infrastructure Manager

Property ManagementHoward Leyo Project ManagerProperty Management StaffDave Regis Sr Building Trades WorkerFrank Kremps Building Trades Worker IIIJohn Purdy Building Trades Worker IIIArnold Robinson Sr Building Trades WorkerEric Crisp Sr Building Trades WorkerGeary Hall Sr Building Trades WorkerTim Tucker Sr Building Trades WorkerWilliam Smith Sr Building Trades WorkerDavid Thompson Building Maintenance Division ManagerJeff Wilson Building Supervisor

Public WorksDarren Nolan Maintenance Tech IIErik Thompson Maintenance SupervisorDan Griffin Maintenance Tech IIJames Yates Maintenance Tech IIISeth Desear Maintenance Tech IIDelbert Sanford Maintenance Tech I Brian Gullet Maintenance Tech IIKerry Dickerson Maintenance IICharles Wistretta Maintenance Tech IISilvestre Garcia Maintenance IFrank Sears Maintenance Tech II Public Works

Tech TipsProject net

Manatee County IT Department is faced with the challenge of managing too many projects with too few resources which is a challenge that most organizations face Projectnet is a centralized project reposi-tory capable of listing all known projects that can be accessed by all IT Division managers and employees It helps answer the Who What When Where and Why questions surrounding projects requiring IT resources The IT department chose Projectnet because it provided the features needed while leveraging existing IT infra-structure Opportunities existed to use the available skills hardware and platforms already at Manatee County Domino User names Oracle Databases and Java Applica-tions Servers are just some of the reuse provided by selecting Projectnet for the Countyrsquos Project Management Information System (PMIS)

Projectnet is a complete Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solution designed to capture display report on and resolve the complex interrelationships organizations tackle when planning and executing major initiatives

Projectnet was developed to resolve the major shortcoming of alternatives weak adoption by teams leading to minimal data entered into the system resulting in a lack of information for decision support at all levels Projectnet delivers a rich high-quality project management record by assuring that the team ndash not just manage-

5

ent portions of your speech rather than fixating on one part until it becomes fully memorized Healy states ldquoBreaking your presentation into manageable cohesive chunks helps your brain organize itself around your presentationrdquo Then rather than simply saying your speech multiple times you should test your recall of the content by asking yourself questions such as ldquoWhat is my central messagerdquo and ldquoHow do I support my third claimrdquo

With help from memory research you can maintain your poise By eating properly exercising sleeping well and focusing on where when how and what you practice you will reduce your anxiety improve your memory and avoid blanking out

Employee of the Month - September 2012

Gayle Altman Utilities

1 What does your job entail Why is it impor-tant I process accounts payable and receiv-ables for the Utilities Southeast Reclamation Facility Bio-solids Facility and MARS Stations I assist with the budget process and I am the insurance coordinator This position is very important to keep the supplies at hand and assist the employees

2 What is the most interesting part of your job The most interesting part for me is multi-tasking with a variety of situations I process the monthly fertilizer report for the Bio-Solids Facility and I enjoy working with Utilities Customer Service and the Purchasing and Finance Department Anytime I have a question or need help there is always a helpful Manatee County employee and I feel proud to be a part of this hard working group

3 What is the strangest thing that has hap-pened on the job The strangest things are the wild animals at my job I have stopped for an alligator crossing the road and Irsquove seen a lot of deer and raccoons

4 Where are you from I have been in Bradenton Florida for six generations

5 What are your hobbies I like to jog read and eat exotic food (sushi Indian and Thai-land dishes) I would love to travel and try the food in many different countries

6 Did you attend college Where What did you study I did not attend college instead I married at 18 and first started with Manatee County at 19 (1979)

7 If you were stranded on an island and could have 3 items what would they be and why I would like to have a Swiss army knife a magnifying glass to start fires and a fishing pole to catch fish

8 What did you want to be when you were a kid I wanted to be a school teacher or an airline stewardess so that I could travel the world

9 Do you have any pets A male kitty named Chandler

10 Whatrsquos your favorite song at the moment Little Big Townrsquos ldquoPontoonrdquo

6

Florida Women in Government Meeting

Wednesday November 14 2012

noonManatee Room

1112 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton

During the meeting we will be assem-

bling Thanksgiving Totes and deliver to

Salvation Army

Florida Women in Government Silent

Auction amp BreakfastFriday November 16

8 am Lobby of Adminis-

tration BuildingBreakfast will be

served until sold out Silent Auction ends

at 1 pm

Kudos CornerTo view the kudos information click on the link which will take you to the PDF file on the iNet

September 2012

Community ServicesJohn Weldon Sr Veterans Services Counselor

Building amp Development ServicesFrank Ross Sr Construction Inspections OfficerArdath Melton Permitting Tech IITravis Latimer Code Enforcement Officer

Team EffortConvention amp Visitors Bureau StaffProperty Management StaffJeff Wilson Building SupervisorEarl Hasenflu Commercial ElectricianRodney Terrell Senior Building Trades WorkerMike Hotaling IT Security ManagerBill Kersey Network Infrastructure Manager

Property ManagementHoward Leyo Project ManagerProperty Management StaffDave Regis Sr Building Trades WorkerFrank Kremps Building Trades Worker IIIJohn Purdy Building Trades Worker IIIArnold Robinson Sr Building Trades WorkerEric Crisp Sr Building Trades WorkerGeary Hall Sr Building Trades WorkerTim Tucker Sr Building Trades WorkerWilliam Smith Sr Building Trades WorkerDavid Thompson Building Maintenance Division ManagerJeff Wilson Building Supervisor

Public WorksDarren Nolan Maintenance Tech IIErik Thompson Maintenance SupervisorDan Griffin Maintenance Tech IIJames Yates Maintenance Tech IIISeth Desear Maintenance Tech IIDelbert Sanford Maintenance Tech I Brian Gullet Maintenance Tech IIKerry Dickerson Maintenance IICharles Wistretta Maintenance Tech IISilvestre Garcia Maintenance IFrank Sears Maintenance Tech II Public Works

Tech TipsProject net

Manatee County IT Department is faced with the challenge of managing too many projects with too few resources which is a challenge that most organizations face Projectnet is a centralized project reposi-tory capable of listing all known projects that can be accessed by all IT Division managers and employees It helps answer the Who What When Where and Why questions surrounding projects requiring IT resources The IT department chose Projectnet because it provided the features needed while leveraging existing IT infra-structure Opportunities existed to use the available skills hardware and platforms already at Manatee County Domino User names Oracle Databases and Java Applica-tions Servers are just some of the reuse provided by selecting Projectnet for the Countyrsquos Project Management Information System (PMIS)

Projectnet is a complete Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solution designed to capture display report on and resolve the complex interrelationships organizations tackle when planning and executing major initiatives

Projectnet was developed to resolve the major shortcoming of alternatives weak adoption by teams leading to minimal data entered into the system resulting in a lack of information for decision support at all levels Projectnet delivers a rich high-quality project management record by assuring that the team ndash not just manage-

6

Florida Women in Government Meeting

Wednesday November 14 2012

noonManatee Room

1112 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton

During the meeting we will be assem-

bling Thanksgiving Totes and deliver to

Salvation Army

Florida Women in Government Silent

Auction amp BreakfastFriday November 16

8 am Lobby of Adminis-

tration BuildingBreakfast will be

served until sold out Silent Auction ends

at 1 pm

Kudos CornerTo view the kudos information click on the link which will take you to the PDF file on the iNet

September 2012

Community ServicesJohn Weldon Sr Veterans Services Counselor

Building amp Development ServicesFrank Ross Sr Construction Inspections OfficerArdath Melton Permitting Tech IITravis Latimer Code Enforcement Officer

Team EffortConvention amp Visitors Bureau StaffProperty Management StaffJeff Wilson Building SupervisorEarl Hasenflu Commercial ElectricianRodney Terrell Senior Building Trades WorkerMike Hotaling IT Security ManagerBill Kersey Network Infrastructure Manager

Property ManagementHoward Leyo Project ManagerProperty Management StaffDave Regis Sr Building Trades WorkerFrank Kremps Building Trades Worker IIIJohn Purdy Building Trades Worker IIIArnold Robinson Sr Building Trades WorkerEric Crisp Sr Building Trades WorkerGeary Hall Sr Building Trades WorkerTim Tucker Sr Building Trades WorkerWilliam Smith Sr Building Trades WorkerDavid Thompson Building Maintenance Division ManagerJeff Wilson Building Supervisor

Public WorksDarren Nolan Maintenance Tech IIErik Thompson Maintenance SupervisorDan Griffin Maintenance Tech IIJames Yates Maintenance Tech IIISeth Desear Maintenance Tech IIDelbert Sanford Maintenance Tech I Brian Gullet Maintenance Tech IIKerry Dickerson Maintenance IICharles Wistretta Maintenance Tech IISilvestre Garcia Maintenance IFrank Sears Maintenance Tech II Public Works

Tech TipsProject net

Manatee County IT Department is faced with the challenge of managing too many projects with too few resources which is a challenge that most organizations face Projectnet is a centralized project reposi-tory capable of listing all known projects that can be accessed by all IT Division managers and employees It helps answer the Who What When Where and Why questions surrounding projects requiring IT resources The IT department chose Projectnet because it provided the features needed while leveraging existing IT infra-structure Opportunities existed to use the available skills hardware and platforms already at Manatee County Domino User names Oracle Databases and Java Applica-tions Servers are just some of the reuse provided by selecting Projectnet for the Countyrsquos Project Management Information System (PMIS)

Projectnet is a complete Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solution designed to capture display report on and resolve the complex interrelationships organizations tackle when planning and executing major initiatives

Projectnet was developed to resolve the major shortcoming of alternatives weak adoption by teams leading to minimal data entered into the system resulting in a lack of information for decision support at all levels Projectnet delivers a rich high-quality project management record by assuring that the team ndash not just manage-

7

ment ndash benefits through their active col-laboration through Projectnet

Initially founded in 1999 Projectnet is an open source initiative of Integrated Com-puter Solutions Inc (wwwicscom) ndash a company with over 20+ years experience of providing enterprise software services and training to Fortune 500 companies ICS is fully committed to the success of Projectnet adopters providing a full range of support training and customization services to assure successful deployment

What are the Core Features bull Centralized Project repository accessible by all authorized users bull Project Scheduling including resource assignment bull Project Collaboration

Success at the Goblin GatheringThis yearrsquos Goblin Gathering was paired with another popular event National Night Out to bring Manatee families a double dose of fun and information The Goblin Gathering and National Night Out was held Friday Oct 19 from 630-930 pm at GT Bray Park 5502 33rd Ave Dr West

Kids and families had their usual choice of fun stuff at the Goblin Gathering a costume contest face painting a hayride bounce houses and an 18-foot inflatable slide

There was also plenty of family and neighborhood safety tips available as part of National Night Out

8

Library NookThanksgiving Through Time

By Linda OrsquoConnor-Levy Neighborhood ServicesWhether you are going ldquoOver the River and Through the Woodsrdquo or staying home with your family and friends gathered here Thanksgiving is a special day for all

ldquoAmericans have strayed far from their places of origin across the wide continent each year they flock back to homesteads to gather with family members and old friends for the special feast held on the

fourth Thursday in November It is a fitting form of commemoration

given that the historical event immortalized in the holi-day is one in which a

group of persecuted immigrants sought a

new home in a land where they would be free to practice their religion of

choice and govern themselvesrdquo Laurie Hillstrom

ldquoThe Thanksgiving Bookrdquo

For thousands of years people in many lands have held harvest festivals The ancient Egyptians held an autumn festival in honor of Min the god they believed made the earth fertile The Greeks honored Demeter their goddess of agriculture The Romans held a similar holiday in honor of Ceres their harvest goddess In ancient China the harvest celebration was called Hhung-Chrsquoiu It was held at the time of the harvest moon Followers of the Jewish religion still observe the harvest festival called Sukkoth the Feast of the Taberna-cles Native Americans had a long-standing tradition of celebrating the harvest The Wampanoag who celebrated Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims celebrated Keepunumuk the time of the harvest

President George Washington called for the first national day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated in the United States on Novem-ber 26 1789 The event was repeated in November of 1795

The current observance of a national Thanksgiving Day is largely the result of the thirty-year effort of Sarah Josepha Hale As the editor of ldquoGodeyrsquos Ladyrsquos Bookrdquo a very popular publication in the US she campaigned for the establishment of this holiday Finally President Abraham

Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday in November be set aside for this holiday and the first official Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in 1863 During Franklin Roos-eveltrsquos administration in 1939 the date was changed to the fourth Thursday in Novem-ber

The Manatee County Public Library Sys-tem has lots of resources to make your Thanksgiving holiday special decorations recipes table deacutecor movies stories and poems to share as well as Thanksgiving history A subject search of the catalog just for Thanksgiving lists 227 items in the collection Fall deacutecor would add even more

Two of my favorites to share are ldquoN C Wyethrsquos Pilgrimsrdquo by Robert San Souci and ldquoA Turkey for Thanksgivingrdquo by Eve Bun-ting In the first the beautiful paintings of N C Wyeth tell the traditional Thanksgiv-ing story In the second the meaning of having a turkey for Thanksgiving is all turned around Laurie Hillstromrsquos ldquoThe Thanksgiving Bookrdquo includes everything you ever needed to know about Thanksgiv-ing Let the library help make your holiday special ndash come check us out

Halloween Magic EyeHold the center of the printed image right up to your nose It should be blurry Focus as though you are looking through the image into the distance Very slowly move the image away from your face until you see the picture Good luck

9

10

The Final WordldquoVote in this yearrsquos General Electionrdquo ldquoAlways vote for principle though you may vote alone and you may cherish the sweetest re-flection that your vote is never lostrdquo ndash John Quincy Adams

We live in an era when political candidates ndash especially at the national level ndash spend obscene amounts to fill the airwaves with convenient promises and negative attacks Itrsquos impossible to ignore for anyone who reads papers uses the Internet watches television or listens to radio Political ads are everywhere each one more frustrating than the next for many voters What used to be the exception has become the norm and public campaigns are as nasty as theyrsquove ever been

Itrsquos easy to become cynical with the whole process and to send candidates a message of frustration by not voting at all How-ever your frustration with the process should actually be a driving reason for you to show up at the polls See representative democracy relies entirely on the strength of voters naming their political representatives Your vote is a way to empower the people you believe in to take action and make a change The power of voting allows you to make a mark in history and to send your opinion to those who will be leading your community your region and your country

We as Florida residents should take special care and attention to finding time to vote Those of you who were Florida residents in 2000 know the true importance each and every Florida vote carries That year this critical swing state was decided by a difference of 537 votes ndash a sum no bigger than a large Bradenton neighborhood This yearrsquos presidential election could be just as close underscoring the importance that you cast a ballot

You should also take the time to make an informed decision on each of the 11 proposed Consti-tutional Amendments which cover a number of different social and economic proposals Some of the amendments will reduce local governmental revenues and ultimately the size of our workforce and our ability to deliver service to the community While Irsquom not advocating that you vote one way or another I urge you to learn as much as you can about each amendment including its potential impact on local government A summary of the ballot initiatives that could impact local rev-enues has been posted to the iNet

If you havenrsquot already I would encourage everyone to vote in this yearrsquos General Election You can

either cast a ballot at your precinct on Election Day Nov 6 or cast an early vote at the Su-pervisor of Elections Office Early voting is open through Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm

8

Library NookThanksgiving Through Time

By Linda OrsquoConnor-Levy Neighborhood ServicesWhether you are going ldquoOver the River and Through the Woodsrdquo or staying home with your family and friends gathered here Thanksgiving is a special day for all

ldquoAmericans have strayed far from their places of origin across the wide continent each year they flock back to homesteads to gather with family members and old friends for the special feast held on the

fourth Thursday in November It is a fitting form of commemoration

given that the historical event immortalized in the holi-day is one in which a

group of persecuted immigrants sought a

new home in a land where they would be free to practice their religion of

choice and govern themselvesrdquo Laurie Hillstrom

ldquoThe Thanksgiving Bookrdquo

For thousands of years people in many lands have held harvest festivals The ancient Egyptians held an autumn festival in honor of Min the god they believed made the earth fertile The Greeks honored Demeter their goddess of agriculture The Romans held a similar holiday in honor of Ceres their harvest goddess In ancient China the harvest celebration was called Hhung-Chrsquoiu It was held at the time of the harvest moon Followers of the Jewish religion still observe the harvest festival called Sukkoth the Feast of the Taberna-cles Native Americans had a long-standing tradition of celebrating the harvest The Wampanoag who celebrated Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims celebrated Keepunumuk the time of the harvest

President George Washington called for the first national day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated in the United States on Novem-ber 26 1789 The event was repeated in November of 1795

The current observance of a national Thanksgiving Day is largely the result of the thirty-year effort of Sarah Josepha Hale As the editor of ldquoGodeyrsquos Ladyrsquos Bookrdquo a very popular publication in the US she campaigned for the establishment of this holiday Finally President Abraham

Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday in November be set aside for this holiday and the first official Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in 1863 During Franklin Roos-eveltrsquos administration in 1939 the date was changed to the fourth Thursday in Novem-ber

The Manatee County Public Library Sys-tem has lots of resources to make your Thanksgiving holiday special decorations recipes table deacutecor movies stories and poems to share as well as Thanksgiving history A subject search of the catalog just for Thanksgiving lists 227 items in the collection Fall deacutecor would add even more

Two of my favorites to share are ldquoN C Wyethrsquos Pilgrimsrdquo by Robert San Souci and ldquoA Turkey for Thanksgivingrdquo by Eve Bun-ting In the first the beautiful paintings of N C Wyeth tell the traditional Thanksgiv-ing story In the second the meaning of having a turkey for Thanksgiving is all turned around Laurie Hillstromrsquos ldquoThe Thanksgiving Bookrdquo includes everything you ever needed to know about Thanksgiv-ing Let the library help make your holiday special ndash come check us out

Halloween Magic EyeHold the center of the printed image right up to your nose It should be blurry Focus as though you are looking through the image into the distance Very slowly move the image away from your face until you see the picture Good luck

9

10

The Final WordldquoVote in this yearrsquos General Electionrdquo ldquoAlways vote for principle though you may vote alone and you may cherish the sweetest re-flection that your vote is never lostrdquo ndash John Quincy Adams

We live in an era when political candidates ndash especially at the national level ndash spend obscene amounts to fill the airwaves with convenient promises and negative attacks Itrsquos impossible to ignore for anyone who reads papers uses the Internet watches television or listens to radio Political ads are everywhere each one more frustrating than the next for many voters What used to be the exception has become the norm and public campaigns are as nasty as theyrsquove ever been

Itrsquos easy to become cynical with the whole process and to send candidates a message of frustration by not voting at all How-ever your frustration with the process should actually be a driving reason for you to show up at the polls See representative democracy relies entirely on the strength of voters naming their political representatives Your vote is a way to empower the people you believe in to take action and make a change The power of voting allows you to make a mark in history and to send your opinion to those who will be leading your community your region and your country

We as Florida residents should take special care and attention to finding time to vote Those of you who were Florida residents in 2000 know the true importance each and every Florida vote carries That year this critical swing state was decided by a difference of 537 votes ndash a sum no bigger than a large Bradenton neighborhood This yearrsquos presidential election could be just as close underscoring the importance that you cast a ballot

You should also take the time to make an informed decision on each of the 11 proposed Consti-tutional Amendments which cover a number of different social and economic proposals Some of the amendments will reduce local governmental revenues and ultimately the size of our workforce and our ability to deliver service to the community While Irsquom not advocating that you vote one way or another I urge you to learn as much as you can about each amendment including its potential impact on local government A summary of the ballot initiatives that could impact local rev-enues has been posted to the iNet

If you havenrsquot already I would encourage everyone to vote in this yearrsquos General Election You can

either cast a ballot at your precinct on Election Day Nov 6 or cast an early vote at the Su-pervisor of Elections Office Early voting is open through Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm

9

10

The Final WordldquoVote in this yearrsquos General Electionrdquo ldquoAlways vote for principle though you may vote alone and you may cherish the sweetest re-flection that your vote is never lostrdquo ndash John Quincy Adams

We live in an era when political candidates ndash especially at the national level ndash spend obscene amounts to fill the airwaves with convenient promises and negative attacks Itrsquos impossible to ignore for anyone who reads papers uses the Internet watches television or listens to radio Political ads are everywhere each one more frustrating than the next for many voters What used to be the exception has become the norm and public campaigns are as nasty as theyrsquove ever been

Itrsquos easy to become cynical with the whole process and to send candidates a message of frustration by not voting at all How-ever your frustration with the process should actually be a driving reason for you to show up at the polls See representative democracy relies entirely on the strength of voters naming their political representatives Your vote is a way to empower the people you believe in to take action and make a change The power of voting allows you to make a mark in history and to send your opinion to those who will be leading your community your region and your country

We as Florida residents should take special care and attention to finding time to vote Those of you who were Florida residents in 2000 know the true importance each and every Florida vote carries That year this critical swing state was decided by a difference of 537 votes ndash a sum no bigger than a large Bradenton neighborhood This yearrsquos presidential election could be just as close underscoring the importance that you cast a ballot

You should also take the time to make an informed decision on each of the 11 proposed Consti-tutional Amendments which cover a number of different social and economic proposals Some of the amendments will reduce local governmental revenues and ultimately the size of our workforce and our ability to deliver service to the community While Irsquom not advocating that you vote one way or another I urge you to learn as much as you can about each amendment including its potential impact on local government A summary of the ballot initiatives that could impact local rev-enues has been posted to the iNet

If you havenrsquot already I would encourage everyone to vote in this yearrsquos General Election You can

either cast a ballot at your precinct on Election Day Nov 6 or cast an early vote at the Su-pervisor of Elections Office Early voting is open through Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm

10

The Final WordldquoVote in this yearrsquos General Electionrdquo ldquoAlways vote for principle though you may vote alone and you may cherish the sweetest re-flection that your vote is never lostrdquo ndash John Quincy Adams

We live in an era when political candidates ndash especially at the national level ndash spend obscene amounts to fill the airwaves with convenient promises and negative attacks Itrsquos impossible to ignore for anyone who reads papers uses the Internet watches television or listens to radio Political ads are everywhere each one more frustrating than the next for many voters What used to be the exception has become the norm and public campaigns are as nasty as theyrsquove ever been

Itrsquos easy to become cynical with the whole process and to send candidates a message of frustration by not voting at all How-ever your frustration with the process should actually be a driving reason for you to show up at the polls See representative democracy relies entirely on the strength of voters naming their political representatives Your vote is a way to empower the people you believe in to take action and make a change The power of voting allows you to make a mark in history and to send your opinion to those who will be leading your community your region and your country

We as Florida residents should take special care and attention to finding time to vote Those of you who were Florida residents in 2000 know the true importance each and every Florida vote carries That year this critical swing state was decided by a difference of 537 votes ndash a sum no bigger than a large Bradenton neighborhood This yearrsquos presidential election could be just as close underscoring the importance that you cast a ballot

You should also take the time to make an informed decision on each of the 11 proposed Consti-tutional Amendments which cover a number of different social and economic proposals Some of the amendments will reduce local governmental revenues and ultimately the size of our workforce and our ability to deliver service to the community While Irsquom not advocating that you vote one way or another I urge you to learn as much as you can about each amendment including its potential impact on local government A summary of the ballot initiatives that could impact local rev-enues has been posted to the iNet

If you havenrsquot already I would encourage everyone to vote in this yearrsquos General Election You can

either cast a ballot at your precinct on Election Day Nov 6 or cast an early vote at the Su-pervisor of Elections Office Early voting is open through Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm