Helicopter Easter egg drop planned at Aurora church
The community event is open to children up to 10 years old, who to need bring their own basket for the egg hunt, church officials said. More than 15,000 plastic eggs will be available during the hunt, with some 3,000 pouring down from the helicopter.
Doors for the event open at 10 a.m., with the helicopter drop around 11 a.m. Prizes will be given from some special golden eggs dropped in the field near the church. Officials recommend that everyone who wants to take part in the event be at the church by 10:45 a.m.
Volunteers will be on hand to steer the children into groups by age to collect the eggs. Afterward, a photographer will be on hand or participants can take their own photos when they see the Easter Bunny.
Free tickets for the event are available at Eventbrite, but there is a cost for parking. There are shuttle buses from an off-site location to the church and back, officials said.
The Rev. Rob Douglas of Faith Lutheran Church said the Saturday event is a party for the community. He said Easter services are planned at the church at 6:30, 8 and 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
For more information, call Douglas at 630-248-5515 or email pastor@discoveringfaith.com.
NAMI DuPage celebrating 40th anniversary with May gala
NAMI DuPage, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, will host its Shine a Light Gala to celebrate the nonprofit's 40th anniversary of helping people with mental illness.
The black-tie optional event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at the Chicago Marriott Naperville, 1801 N. Naper Blvd. in Naperville.
Proceeds will support the organization's free and low-cost services, including mental health education for middle and high school students, support groups and career education. Funds raised also will help expand programs and continue providing support, education and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental illness, organizers said.
The gala will include dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions, and cash raffles. Tickets are $200.
A pre-dinner gathering at 4:30 p.m. will feature Meg Kissinger, author of 'While You Were Out' and the recipient of the organization's Lightkeeper Award. Tickets are $75.
This year's Community Partnership Award will be presented to Greg DiDomenico of Community Memorial Foundation.
For more information, go to namidupage.org/gala.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
06-08-2025
- Medscape
Myths About Influenza Vaccination Debunked
I have written a lot about health myths that many of us as health professionals believe. Here, I'd like to address some myths about influenza shots that our patients believe. 'I do not want the flu shot, since it will make me sick or give me the flu.' This is a common reason patients will share as to why they do not want a flu shot. Frequently, I will hear about the time they did get a flu shot and shortly afterward got sick. This myth has been well studied with well-designed trials. Govaert and colleagues studied more than 1800 patients over the age of 60 who were randomly assigned to receive flu vaccine or placebo saline injection; side effects were tracked over 4 weeks. The only difference in side effects was an increased rate of local tenderness at the injection site: 17.5% in the vaccine group vs 7.3% in placebo group. There was no significant difference in systemic side effects. Douglas S. Paauw, MD Margolis et al conducted a randomized, controlled, crossover trial in 336 veterans aged 65 or older. Trial participants were randomly assigned to receive influenza vaccine followed 2 weeks later by placebo injection or placebo followed 2 weeks later by vaccine. The only significant difference after receiving vaccine compared with placebo was a sore arm. There was no difference in any other symptom. Another interesting study looked at patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who received influenza vaccine or placebo; side effects and respiratory infections were evaluated in the first week after vaccination. Local adverse reactions were noted in 27% of the vaccine group and 6% of the placebo group (P =.002). No significant difference in systemic adverse reactions was measured between the vaccine and placebo groups, and there was no difference observed in the incidence of acute respiratory infections between the vaccine and placebo groups during the first week (6.4% vs 6.3%; P = 1.0) and the first 4 weeks (24.2% vs 31.7%; P =.5) after vaccination. 'I can't get the flu shot because I am allergic to eggs.' For many years, patients were asked if they had an egg allergy, and if they did, they usually were told not to get influenza vaccine. This was because of the concern that potentially minute particles of egg protein could contaminate the vaccine and individuals with severe allergy could have a bad reaction. Turner and colleagues recruited 779 young people (2-18 years) with egg allergy to receive influenza vaccine. The cohort included 270 young people with previous anaphylaxis to egg. No systemic allergic reactions occurred in any participants. Kelso reviewed 28 studies with a total of 4315 patients with egg allergy who received egg-based Influenza vaccine: included were 656 patients with a history of anaphylaxis to egg. None of these patients developed a serious reaction when they received influenza vaccine. A 2017 joint practice parameter by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology stated that all patients with egg allergy of any severity should receive inactivated influenza vaccine annually, using any age-approved brand, and there are no special waiting periods after vaccination of egg allergic patients beyond what is standard practice for any vaccine. Pearl: Influenza vaccine can cause local discomfort but is no different from placebo in producing systemic symptoms. Individuals with a history of egg allergy can safely receive any form of influenza vaccine.
National Geographic
29-07-2025
- National Geographic
How knitting may be rewiring your brain
From knitting to woodwork, slow and steady hobbies may offer surprising brain benefits, including reduced stress and better long-term memory. Photograph by Dusan Ladjevic, Getty Images 'Grandma hobbies' like knitting are making a comeback among Gen Z—but it's not just for nostalgia. Neuroscience shows these tactile pastimes may help preserve brain health as we age. The rhythmic click of needles. The softness of yarn running over fingertips. The satisfying logic of knit, purl, repeat. Knitting—and other so-called 'grandma hobbies'—is making a comeback, especially among younger generations. According to Eventbrite data, Gen Z's interest in 'grannycore' gatherings, such as knitting circles and needlework workshops, has surged in recent months, driven in part by a search for relief from digital burnout. But the benefits go beyond nostalgia. Recent studies suggest that slow, tactile tasks, such as knitting, may activate brain systems in ways that support long-term cognitive health in various ways, including engaging memory, attention, and motor function, while helping to regulate stress. In other words, regardless of age or gender, engaging in hands-on, mentally demanding hobbies—whether knitting, wood carving, or model building—may be one of the simplest ways to support brain health. Here's what the science says. How knitting activates your brain While meditation and puzzles also offer brain benefits, knitting uniquely combines fine motor coordination, creative planning, and rhythmic bilateral movement—all of which engage different brain systems at once. This kind of creativity in any capacity is helpful, says Emily Sharp, a licensed therapist at NY Art Therapy. That bilateral stimulation—created by the alternating use of both hands—is similar to what's used in EMDR therapy, says Sharp, adding that this type of stimulation is linked to reduced cortisol levels, increased serotonin and dopamine, and improved emotional regulation. It also engages the brain's dopamine system in ways that can improve focus and potentially delay age-related cognitive decline, says Alvaro Pascual-Leone, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief medical officer at Linus Health. A 2024 study in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience supports this outlook, demonstrating how creative endeavors activate the brain's dopaminergic reward network, particularly in areas deeply involved in pleasure, motivation, and mood. But unlike the dopamine spikes triggered by scrolling or sugar, knitting provides a slower, steadier reward. (Do crossword puzzles really keep your brain sharp?) That's key, Pascual-Leone says: 'It's not good to have too much [dopamine], it's not good to have too little. A steady, pleasant functioning of the brain is better than a binging of chemicals.' Plus, since activities like knitting require planning, sequencing, and problem-solving, they activate executive function alongside motor and emotional systems. This full-brain engagement helps reinforce neural connectivity, a crucial tool for maintaining the brain's flexibility and resilience as we age. If you are already an accomplished knitter, don't pat yourself on the back just yet. The cognitive benefits of activities like knitting aren't about the task itself—they're about the process of learning something new. 'If you've never knitted, then knitting is perfect,' says Pascual-Leone. 'But if you are a professional knitter, then not so much. It can give you a sense of accomplishment, which is valuable, but the goal is to make your brain work on solving a challenge it has never done before.' (Here's why adults need to make time for playtime.) Novelty matters. When you challenge the brain with unfamiliar tasks, such as learning to knit, it lights up new pathways, offering a unique neurological boost. With time and repetition, those same actions become fluent and meditative, allowing the brain to shift into a restorative flow state. This challenge-to-mastery arc helps maintain neural plasticity. However, you must continually reinvent the challenges for your brain as you master old ones. The good news? The cognitive challenge doesn't have to be big or lofty, says Pasucal-Leone: 'What is actually critical is to give your brain a challenge it hasn't yet mastered.' Cognitive decline begins to develop decades before there's any outward evidence, says Lakelyn Eichenberger, a gerontologist and caregiving advocate at Home Instead, which is why engaging in mentally stimulating hobbies throughout one's life is so important. 'Challenging your brain in these ways will be really good for you in terms of long-term brain health,' she says. For aging brains, creative hobbies can offer a form of low-stakes cognitive training—mental workouts that strengthen neural wiring and flexibility over time. Sharp says tactile hobbies create 'greater brain connectivity that helps aging populations where neurons are naturally dying off as the aging process happens.' Activities like quilting, cross-stitching, whittling, pottery, or even bookbinding offer similar cognitive benefits, especially when they involve both hands, sequence-based thinking, and a learning curve. (Here's why having a hobby is good for your brain and body.) While there is a notion that we are better off engaging in tech-driven activities targeted at brain health, Pascual-Leone says we may only need those tools because we've abandoned traditional pastimes. Unlike brain games or apps, these tactile activities offer emotional benefits, which can help reduce cortisol levels and meet the brain's need for social interaction, says Eichenberger. Group knitting circles or crafting classes, for instance, can help reduce loneliness and provide emotional grounding, especially during major life transitions such as retirement. Eichenberger adds that 'people who engage in these activities often report themselves as happier, healthier, and more satisfied with life.' A meta-analysis in BMC Public Health underscores this point, highlighting how hands-on, repetitive hobbies may boost psychological well-being. Other research shows that among individuals with Parkinson's disease, creative art interventions improve memory, dexterity, and emotional resilience, suggesting benefits even in late-stage neurodegeneration, indicating it's never too late to start these hobbies. 'We focus so much on the medical side of aging,' Eichenberger says, 'but we have to consider our physical, mental, and emotional health, and these leisure activities are part of that.'
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Yahoo
Belgian region grapples with forever chemical scandal
A water contamination scandal has gripped a leafy corner of southern Belgium, causing anxious residents to queue up for blood tests to confirm potential exposure to so-called forever chemicals. On an early summer afternoon about a dozen people waited to get their samples taken at a municipal building in Braine-le-Chateau, a picturesque town in the French-speaking Wallonia region. "Initially local authorities told us that measurements were reassuring, but in reality, they didn't have any and were simply trying to keep people calm as best they could," Douglas, a 35-year-old consultant who preferred only to give his first name, told AFP. "This kind of game has to stop," he said, adding he hoped the blood-sampling campaign launched in June would help shed light on the situation. Anger in the region first erupted in 2023 when an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed the authorities had ignored longstanding warnings about high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called forever chemicals. It emerged that the US military, which has an airbase in the small city of Chievres, had warned the local water company in 2017 about high PFAS levels in drinking water, following an incident involving firefighting foam. The US base advised its personnel to drink bottled water -- but locals were left in the dark for years, even after the regional government was told of the issue in 2018. PFAS are a family of synthetic chemicals that take an extremely long time to break down. Chronic exposure to even low levels of the chemicals has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, low birth weights and several kinds of cancer. A group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals that repel heat, water and oil, PFAS are used in nonstick pans, stain-proof carpets, and other products. But their use is increasingly being restricted across the world due to adverse health effects. In June an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with the chemicals. - 'Putting out fires' - Water samples in Braine-le-Chateau last year revealed levels five to six times higher than a safety standard of 4 nanograms/litre (ng/L) for four PFAS recently agreed by Belgian authorities. The exact source of the pollution has not yet been confirmed and a judicial investigation is underway. Authorities have since ordered water distribution firms to install activated carbon filters -- a move they say has contained the issue. Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chievres in early 2024 -- and later extended to nearby areas. Authorities said almost 1,300 people across about 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks, as part of a fresh campaign launched in June. The results, which could lead to new health recommendations, are expected later this year. Wallonia's government, which took office last summer, has also decided to bring forward to 2025 new European Union rules requiring that drinking water must not exceed a total of 100 ng/L for 20 substances in the PFAS family. "We have taken radical measures and all our distributors are now complying with this standard," Yves Coppieters, the regional minister for health and the environment, told AFP. Nevertheless he acknowledged that "the population is very concerned", adding that without clarity on the source of the pollution, it might take decades to resolve the issue. "Telling people not to eat their home-grown eggs and vegetables, setting standards for sewage sludge... for now I'm just putting out fires," said Coppieters, who favours a ban on all products containing PFAS. Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have submitted a joint proposal for the EU to ban the production, sale, and use of almost all forever chemicals. And the European Commission has said it is looking to ban PFAS in everyday consumer products. bur-mad/ub/ec/sbk
