Franklin Fire Lt. Max Cook (right) and Firefighter David Cloud model the pink t-shirts that the Franklin Firefighters Association will be selling this Saturday. Prices start at $15 per shirt. The shirts are also available at the Franklin Fire Administration office in City Hall. Please call (615) 791-3270 for details.

Combination Halloween safety and breast cancer awareness event planned this Saturday Halloween good time to review "Stop Drop and Roll" with children Franklin, TN - Two things that the Franklin Fire Department hopes to make less scary - Halloween and breast cancer - are the focus of an event this Saturday, October 23. Firefighters will be at Kroger Parkway Commons from noon until 2 p.m. to provide Halloween fire safety tips and goody bags to visitors. Additionally, the Franklin Firefighters Association will be selling pink Franklin Fire Department "Find the cure" t-shirts at the event, to raise money to benefit local women affected by cancer. Kroger will also be doing a pink balloon release at noon in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), decorations are the first thing to ignite in more than 1,000 reported home fires each year. Franklin Fire and Life Safety Educator Jamie Melton said, "I've seen votive candles placed on steps leading up to porches, where children's costumes can trail over them, and this is obviously extremely dangerous. Use flashlights or flameless candles instead when decorating walkways and yards; they are much safer for trick-or-treaters." Melton also said that Halloween is a good time to review 'Stop, drop and roll,' with children.
"We teach children when their clothes are on fire to stop immediately, drop to the ground and roll back and forth from side to side until the fire is out," said Melton, "But another step we teach children that parents may not be aware of is to cover their faces with their hands to prevent facial burns." Halloween fire safety tips from the NFPA:
* Buy only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. Avoid using billowing or long trailing features. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out.
* Provide children with lightweight flashlights to carry for lighting or as part of their costume.
* Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
* It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
* Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
* Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)
* Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.
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If your children are going to Halloween parties at others' homes, have them look for exits and plan how they would get out in an emergency. 

(ARA) - More and more people are resolving to be more giving, and to share what they have with the less fortunate. The current economic climate, however, presents something of a challenge to people who want to give, but lack the budget to do so.

Americans are known for their generous and giving spirits, as well as for their ingenuity, so it's no surprise that they have worked out ways to satisfy the desire to help others without having to sacrifice. If you look in your community, you'll surely find a host of meaningful ways to help others. You can also expand your generosity to act globally, too. Here are some creative ways to give that won't cost you cash.

* Find nonprofits that offer unique ways to make a difference. The more technology develops, the more we're able to connect with others around the world and help alleviate global poverty. The Web site JoinMyVillage.com, presented by the humanitarian organization CARE and the food company General Mills, invites people to help fight poverty in Africa. Simply log on to JoinMyVillage.com and join a village team. With that simple act, you'll unlock $1 to help people in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world. You can keep unlocking dollars by answering fun quiz questions or by inviting friends to participate (up to $5 per person per day, $150,000 in total). In just one week, you can unlock enough to buy a new secondary school uniform for a girl in Malawi, which will enable her to attend school. (Just one additional year of education will increase her earning potential by nearly 20 percent over her lifetime and open new doors to the future.) If you're in a position to make a personal donation - even as little as $10 - your contributions will go doubly far because General Mills will match them dollar-for-dollar (up to $500 per donor, another $150,000 in total). JoinMyVillage.com also has rich stories, and regular progress reports on the women and children you are helping in Malawi. It's a great way to teach children about international development and how to be good global citizens.

* Use your talents. Do you have a way with words and a passion for language? You might just be a great volunteer to help adult and child immigrants improve their English skills. Maybe you've got a green thumb - there are charitable organizations that need help with grounds-keeping projects. And if you're a real authority on the ins-and-outs of your city, you could serve as a guide for new immigrants struggling to learn about how to get around, where to go shopping, and the details of everyday life that make a big difference in adjusting to a new society. If you love the arts, you could serve as a docent at your local art museum and introduce people to the treasures that are on display there. Whatever your hobby or passion, you can almost certainly find a way to translate it into volunteerism.

* Mine your house. Donations don't have to be in the form of cash. There are lots of local organizations that accept gently-used clothing, household goods, cell phones and more. Just keep a few things in mind when you're adding to your donation pile. First, make sure that the item is usable. Broken toasters or splintering wooden spoons, torn shirts, or pants with loose seams - they're not going to serve the people who benefit from the charity. Also, make sure that any items you donate are clean - wash, dry, and fold all clothes and double-check that any household items you're dropping off are dust- and gunk-free. Consider what you would want and be able to use if the proverbial shoe were on the other foot and you were looking for donated items.

There is truth in the old saying that it's better to give than to receive. Studies show that people who volunteer are often happier and healthier than their peers. In fact, if you give of yourself, you'll find that you receive, too, in the form of new friends and experiences that make your life richer.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - Some research suggests volunteering can have a positive effect on overall health and well-being - and may help improve your disease. Many Americans who suffer from chronic conditions can get involved with volunteering to stay active.

And, for the more than 1 million Americans with the chronic condition rheumatoid arthritis (RA), volunteering may help them better manage the disease. RA is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints and can cause pain, disability and leave people feeling limited or isolated by their disease. Women are two to three times more likely to have RA than men, and the disease is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 50.

A new nationwide initiative - Hand in Hand for RA - aims to change that by demonstrating to people living with RA that they can do more. In fact, results of a recent survey showed that a majority of people with RA want to be more active and not feel limited by their condition. Moreover, four in 10 want to give back through volunteering or public service to prove they are not limited by their RA.

"It's the first time that we are bringing together people living with a form of arthritis like RA who would otherwise be held back a little bit by their condition, and give them an opportunity to help out in their community," says Seth Ginsberg, co-founder and president of CreakyJoints, a grassroots arthritis group and a supporter of the Hand in Hand for RA campaign. "We want people to go to the handinhandforRA.com Web site where they can find resources or share their stories of things they've done in the past, and help out a little bit."

Lending a helping hand
Debbie McGrady, 55, of Greenwood, Ind., has joined the campaign and gives back by driving senior citizens in her local community to doctor appointments and to run errands.

"When I was diagnosed with RA 11 years ago, it was pretty devastating for me," Debbie says. "But after seeking out the right doctor and working with him to get my disease under control, I also changed my life - started eating healthier and exercising more often; then I found volunteerism. It's just been a wonderful thing for me. It takes the focus off your disease and you can help others."

Many ways to give back
When it comes to public service, there is something for everyone. The following are a few activities that may be well suited for those with RA. These include low-impact activities that are easy on the joints, and options that provide enough flexibility for even the busiest of schedules.

* Answering telephone calls for a local crisis support or charity hotline
* Reading to seniors at a local community center or retirement community
* Working at voting booths during election season
* Visiting hospitals or nursing homes to spend time with the patients
* Mentoring youth
* Volunteering at an animal shelter
* Joining a local gardening group or community beautification project

Before starting on any new activity, it is important to talk first with your doctor about what volunteer activities would be the best to pursue.

Get started
For more information on how to get involved with Hand in Hand for RA or to post your personal volunteering story and send kudos to current volunteers, visit www.handinhandforRA.com.

Hand In Hand for RA is a national awareness campaign developed by Genentech and Biogen Idec with the grassroots advocacy group CreakyJoints.

Courtesy of ARAcontent