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Food manager certification classes
now being offered
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–Statistics indicate that foodborne illness
continues to be a health issue in the United States.
Each year, one in four Americans will become sick, one in 1,000 will
become hospitalized, and 5,000 will die due to a foodborne illness.
During the past legislative session, a statute was amended that allowed
the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to require each
food establishment to have one certified food manager.
Recently, the Texas Board of Health adopted rules to implement this
statute.
Many of you have already received a letter from the Texas Department of
State Health Services regarding this.
Under these new rules, each food establishment permitted by the Texas
Department of State Health Services must have one certified food
manager.
New food manager certificates will be valid for five years.
Texas Cooperative Extension, Henderson County, is offering a food
manager certification-training course.
This program will be offered for $89 Thursday and Friday Feb. 15 and 16
at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex third floor.
Cost includes training, materials, and the state food manager
certification examination.
This program is designed to not only prepare foodservice managers to
pass the certification examination; it will provide valuable education
regarding the safe handling of food.
Almost 50 cents of every dollar Americans spend on food is spent on
meals prepared away from home.
Therefore, careful attention to food safety will help keep customers
safe and satisfied.
Foodborne illnesses are estimated to cost thousands of dollars in lost
wages, insurance, and medical bills.
With these statistics, knowledge of how to prevent foodborne illness is
essential.
The benefits of improved food safety include:
• increased customer satisfaction
• improved relationships with health officials
• prevention of bad publicity and law suits due to foodborne illness
By attending the course, foodservice managers will learn about:
• identifying potentially hazardous foods and common errors in food
handling
• preventing contamination and cross-contamination of food
• teaching and encouraging personal hygiene for employees
• complying with government regulations
• maintaining clean utensils, equipment and surroundings
• controlling pests
Following simple food safety practices can prevent Foodborne illnesses.
For more information about the Food Manager Certification Training
course of Texas Cooperative Extension, called “Food Safety: It’s Our
Business,” call Kristin DeLong at (903) 675-6130.
Important Dates
• Wellness in Texas Master Volunteer program kicks off Friday Jan. 12.
For more information about how to become a master volunteer, please
contact Kristin at the Extension Office. There are opportunities for
everyone!
• The Do Well Be Well with Diabetes program will begin on Tuesday March
6.
The classes will be held for 5 Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Come to learn about managing diabetes through healthier cooking,
managing prescriptions, handling glucometers and much more!
The classes aren’t just for people with diabetes. Come to find out how
to help.
VNA holds grief support group
Special to The Monitor
KAUFMAN–The Visiting Nurse Association of Kaufman County
(VNA) will be conducting a five-session support group called ”A
Grief Shared” for adults who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
The group will meet Mondays, Jan. 22 and 29, and Feb. 5, 19 and 26 at
the First Missionary Baptist Church, 603 W. Walnut Street in Kaufman.
The meeting time is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The support group will help individuals experience the safe environment
of a supportive and caring group, gain an understanding of the grief
process, learn healthy coping skills, and broaden awareness of resources
and support systems available for continued growth. There is no cost to
attend the group.
Additional information can be obtained by calling Clayton McCord, VNA
Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator, at (972) 962-7500 or
1-800-345-0576.
VNA of Kaufman County is a nonprofit homecare organization that provides
home health and hospice care in Kaufman and the surrounding communities.
Pet Talk
An easy guide for house training
Special to the Monitor
Joan B. Guertin
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–An easy guide for house
training
With Christmas behind us, many are looking for easy ways to house train
the new puppy or dog. Regardless of age, the following method has worked
for me for many years.
• Don’t allow a new dog or puppy to have free run of the house!
It is important to house a new family member in a smaller space such as
a bathroom, kitchen, laundry room during the day, so that the pets’
natural inclination to keep its “den” clean, will kick in.
• Sleep the pet at night or for naps, in a dog crate (kennel) that is
large enough for it to stand up and turn around.
Dogs of any age will want to keep its living space (den), clean. Make
sure that the kennel (den) is in an area where you can hear the dog if
it is restless or begins whining. This generally is the first signal
that there is discomfort due to needing to go outside.
It teaches the pet that you are on duty and will follow through and take
it out to relieve itself.
• Remember that any pet needs to eliminate immediately upon waking from
a nap or a nights’ sleep. Make getting the pet to the proper door for a
trip outside, the first priority.
If it is a young puppy, avoid mistakes by carrying the puppy outside. A
large puppy may need to be on a leash to make the trip from crate to
outdoors without error. For very small dogs or puppies, the owner may
choose to use the potty papers, which is fine, just make sure that the
pet knows where it is going to go to eliminate.
• When you arrive at the door, use a cue word such as “outside” to let
the pet know that you want it to go out.
If using papers or potty pads, the cue word might be “go now or potty.”
When going outside, choose a place for the pet to relieve itself. I
generally will choose to direct the pet to a spot away from walkways,
porch or play areas for children.
A simple wire or wood fence area can even be erected to enclose the pet
while it does its business.
Although, I like to teach all of my dogs to eliminate while on a leash
as it cuts down on the sniffing and makes it easier to walk the pet when
traveling or in our case, when at dog shows.
• Once the pet has done its business, lavish both praise and reward with
a yummy treat. Since most dogs and pups really do want to please us, and
they love treats, soon they recognize the wisdom of doing their business
quickly so they get their rewards and our approval.
Another option, for people who work out of the home and have to leave a
pet in an enclosed indoor area all day, the easiest plan is to paper or
box train.
• In a smaller room such as a bathroom, hallway, kitchen or even a
fenced enclosure in a heated garage, spread newspaper over the entire
surface. At one end place the pets bed, (crate, if desired), food and
water. At the opposite end, furthest from the “living space”, place a
box with a 2” lip, and at least 3' x 3' for a very small pet and 4' x 4'
if a larger pet. Cover entire surface with paper.
At first the pet will eliminate anywhere, however it will be going on
the paper surface and not on the floor. As it figures out how to keep
its space clean, you will find the puddles and piles further and further
away from the “living” area.
When replacing the papers, put clean papers from bottom up in the area
where you don’t want the pet to eliminate.
Only replace the papers on top in the box so that soon the pet will
gravitate to that scent and you can eventually eliminate the papers in
between.
I have used this method for many years to box train all of my Corgi
puppies prior to letting them go at 10 weeks of age.
• • • • • • • • • • • •
April’s Pet Place in Seven Points will sponsor Joan for two
Saturday morning workshops for new puppy owners in January.
Contact her at (903) 432 3642, to reserve a spot on either Jan. 13 or
20. Get help in solving those annoying puppy problems such as biting,
pulling on clothes, jumping, house training, barking and walking on a
leash.
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