Elk County- Doug Gaffey, St. Marys Area United Way President presented a $80,000 grant award to the Boys and Girls Club of St. Marys Chief Executive Officer Joe Jacob, Tracy Snyder, Program Director; and Emily Crowe, Group Supervisor.

The St. Marys Boys and Girls Club was one of the first rural club started by the National Boys and Girls Club. St. Marys Area United Way has a long-standing relationship of over 98 years with the club. When this relationship first started, United Way was known as the Community Chest. This kinship has only been possible because of strong community support. The Boys & Girls Club plans to use this grant, as it has always in the past, to help fund a portion of its operating expenses. The balance of expenses is covered by the club’s annual campaign. The club receives no funding from state or government grants. Therefore, besides the minimal membership fees, the Club relies on grant funding and local donors to help keep the club functioning and viable since 1923.

In 2022, the club served 81 youth members on average after-school each day. Some of the more notable after-school programs, offered to the youth members, include: Homework Club where certified teachers from Saint Marys Area School District are available to help children with their homework; Cooking Club to learn how to cook easy meals at home; Ukelele Lessons; Drama Club; S.T.E.M Hour to further skills relating to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; Recycling Club where children learn to recycle and clean up the downtown area and local parks; and, much more! The club is currently taking registrations for their 2023 Great Futures Summer Program, with new and exciting summer activities. Full details and applications are available online and at the club. For more information on the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys, call 814-781-1910 or by emailing jjacob@smboysandgirlsclub.com. 

Over the next couple of weeks, the United Way will continue to notify the public of all the grant recipients and award amounts. The grant funding disseminated in 2023 is as a result of the funding raised during the St. Marys Area United Way 2022 campaign. Funding raised in 2023 will be available for organizations to seek grant funding in 2024.

The St. Marys Area United Way relies on the contributions from companies and local individuals. If you would like to become one of these individuals or corporate donors, please call 781-6000 or mail your check to the St. Marys Area United Way, 44 So. St. Marys Street, St. Marys, PA 15857

Steven Herrmann, M.D., Ph.D.
Heart and Vascular Institute, UPMC

Sugar and spice are not so nice when it comes to heart health. They not only have the ability to affect your waistline, but additionally have the power to harm your heart. While it’s okay to indulge occasionally, it’s vital to monitor your intake of these substances to help protect your cardiovascular well-being.

Sugar’s Effects

Sugar is added to most processed foods, which most Americans consume daily. Refined sugars are also found in all of the sweet treats lining your pantry shelves. They are even found in yogurts, salad dressings, ketchup, and other common condiments. On average, Americans consume 66 pounds of sugar per person per year. That equals nearly 20 teaspoons per day.

Sugar can affect your heart by:

• Increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Spiking blood sugar levels (and so insulin levels), which increases your risk of obesity and heart disease.
• Stopping triglycerides (fat in the blood connected with cardiovascular disease) from breaking down.
• Lowers the level of HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) while raising LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels.

Sodium’s Effects

A good portion of salt is made up of sodium, a mineral that is essential for life. It’s regulated by your kidneys, and it helps control your body’s fluid balance. It also helps send nerve impulses and affects muscle function.

Too much salt in the body can:

• Raise Your Blood Pressure – Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. When your blood pressure is at a high level for longer periods of time, your heart may become damaged from a decreased flow of oxygen to your heart.
• Make you Dehydrated – Dehydration occurs when your body uses more fluids than you take in. This may be a result of your kidneys’ attempt to regulate your body’s increased sodium levels. Your heart becomes affected as it would need to work harder and pump faster to make this possible.
• Harden Your Arteries – Higher levels of sodium cause blood vessel walls to tighten or harden. When this occurs over a longer time period, plaque may buildup and cause a blockage or heart attack.

Tips to Reduce Intake

You do not need to completely eliminate sugar and salt from your diet to decrease your risk of heart disease. The daily suggestions for sugar are 24 grams for women and 36 grams for men, and for salt, it’s about 2,300 milligrams for either sex. A few tips to help you salt and sugar intake are:

• Eat more whole foods like fruits and vegetables to help avoid processed foods. Think of DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) or the Mediterranean diet. Both nutritional methods focus on foods rich in fiber, legumes, and fruits, ultimately lowering sodium intake.
• Check labels at the grocery store and purchase items with lower sodium and sugar content. Go for options that have “reduced” labels.
• Avoid sugary drinks. Replace soda with carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon or other fruit juice.
• Use different spices and herbs to add flavor to your meals in place of salt.

It’s never too late to start putting more of an effort toward your heart health. Making healthy choices now can lessen your chances of developing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Steven Herrmann, M.D., Ph.D., is a cardiologist with UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute of Bradford, 1001 East Main St., Bradford, and he also sees patients at UPMC Cole, 1001 East Second St., Coudersport. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Herrmann in Bradford, call 814-368-1000, and for Coudersport, call 814-260-5576. For more information, visit UPMC.com/HeartNCPA.

Shapiro Administration Awards $1.5 Million to Help Municipalities, Schools, and Businesses Switch to Clean Transportation

Small business owners, the City of Pittsburgh among those receiving funding for electric vehicles and renewable natural gas vehicles, improving air quality in communities across the Commonwealth

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today awarded $1.5 million in 2022 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant funding to help municipalities, schools, and businesses around the state switch to clean transportation and improve air quality in their communities. The DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant program helps municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations replace older gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles with clean fuel transportation. This funding builds on Governor Shapiro’s agenda to create a bold, comprehensive climate and energy plan that will grow Pennsylvania’s economy, protect and create jobs, and address climate change. 

The grant recipients, ranging from a small borough to rental car, garbage truck, and school bus companies, will replace 88 old gasoline or diesel vehicles with 78 electric and 10 renewable natural gas vehicles and install 36 chargers for electric vehicles.

In Potter County • Protektor Model Company has been awarded $15,000 for two electric pickup trucks for deliveries and travel to trade shows and competitions for this manufacturer of rifle shooting accessories.

Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries is inviting animal lovers to help “Raise the Region” March 8-9.

Raise the Region is a 30-hour online giving event fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. An initiative of the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, Raise the Region benefits nonprofit organizations serving Northcentral Pennsylvania, including Second Chance.

“Since our formation more than 20 years ago, we’ve been guided by our name – Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries. We strive to help lost, abandoned or at-risk dogs and cats by providing them with life-saving care and sanctuary,” said Jim Howe, Second Chance board president. “All funds from Raise the Region will go toward veterinarian costs and other direct rehabilitation of these at-risk pets. These expenses are often high and we never know the needs of the next animal that finds its way to our doorstep. Thanks to the generosity of others, that next animal, and all coming after it, will get its best second chance possible.”

This year’s Raise the Region is 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 9. Donations made during that time at www.raisetheregion.org/organizations/second-chance-animal-sanctuaries have the potential to stretch even farther with matching or additional gifts from sponsoring businesses and organizations.

“We are honored to participate again in Raise the Region, and are grateful to its organizers and sponsors,” said Howe. “This opportunity is especially important as Second Chance receives no governmental funding. We exist and continue due to the hearts, funds, donations and volunteer support from our neighbors. We sincerely thank you all.”

Learn more about Second Chance at www.secondchanceas.org or follow their page on Facebook. For more information on Raise the Region, visit www.raisetheregion.org.