Bringing Back the Family Table

Who doesn’t want their children to do their best in school and behave well? If you are thinking that extra tutoring, sports, and other activities may help your children get there, you may be overlooking a simple solution found right around your kitchen table. A University of Michigan study found that more meal time at home was the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems. Meal time was more powerful than time spent in school, studying, church, playing sports, or art activities.

At “Bringing Back the Family Table,” Liz Kanche from American HealthCare Group will discuss how to get your family together for this important meal and quick, nutritious recipes that you can serve. This program will be offered at the Peters Township Public Library on Sunday, October 9 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. so not to conflict with the family dinner hour. To register for this program online, visit the library circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430.

College Financial Aid Night

Here’s another reason for parents of college-bound students to lose sleep at night - according to “The Debt Crisis at American Colleges” in the August issue of The Atlantic, “…college loans are nearing the $1 trillion mark, more than what all households owe on their credit cards.”

To help parents and students through the sometimes confusing maze of paying for a college education, the Peters Township Public Library in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will host a free “College Financial Aid Night” on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 from 6:30– 8:30 p.m. at the library. The program will be given Jayeann Harr, Higher Education Access Partner from PHEAA, who will provide an overview of the financial aid process.

Parents and students are invited to the 60-minute presentation, which will describe all federal and PA-state financial aid programs, scholarships and FAFSA application processes. Other topics will include how colleges award aid to families and how financial aid deadline dates interface with the college admissions process. Loan rates and interest rates for students and parents will also be discussed. A question and answer session will follow the program.

Registration is necessary for this free program online, at the Library's circulation desk, or call 724-941-9430.

Berlin Bureau Chief opens World Affairs International Program Series

Senior Correspondent for ARD German TV Werner Sonne will open this year’s International Program Series, hosted by Peters Township Public Library in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. Sonne will discuss “Can Germany Lead? Europe’s Largest Economy in Times of Economic Uncertainty” on Monday, September 26, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Werner Sonne is a Senior Correspondent for ARD German TV. An expert on foreign affairs, security policy, and terrorism, he is the Berlin Bureau Chief for the ARD morning news program Morgenmagazin, a position he has held since 2004. Mr. Sonne has had a distinguished career of forty-plus years as a radio and television correspondent, covering many influential events. He worked as a foreign correspondent for eleven years on both sides of the Iron Curtain – including five years in Washington, DC. He witnessed and reported about the process of German reunification and saw the country rise to its current position as the strongest economic partner in the European Union. More recently, he has reported on the Middle East and German involvement in the Afghanistan War.

As one of the founding nations of the European Union, Germany has played a key role in European integration and many believe that Germany, with the largest economy in Europe, holds the key to financial stability in the Union. However, while Germany had been a star performer since the economic recession in 2008, posting high growth rates while the rest of Europe struggled, a recent slowdown in the country has caused some to worry that the global recession might be catching up to Germany. Sonne will discuss whether Germany can lead a European Union during times of uncertainty.

The McMurray Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 764 is providing support for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh 2011-12 program series. Register for this event online, visit the library circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430.

Thinking of starting a new business?

Starting a small business can be an exciting and challenging adventure. To help you in launching your new business, the Peters Township Public Library is partnering with the Peters Township Chamber of Commerce and the University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center to present “The Mechanics of Starting a Small Business.” The free program will be offered at the library on Thursday, September 22 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Presenters for this event will be Lindsey Biddle, Management Consultant, University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center; John Higie, Managing Partner, Peacock Keller Law Firm; and Edward Nemeth, Senior Loan Officer, Washington County Council on Economic Development. Topics to be discussed include sources of capital, understanding different legal structures, licensure and accessing helpful resources to establish your successful enterprise.

As space is limited, reservations are requested. Please register online, at the circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430 by Tuesday, September 20 to reserve your space.

Award-winning photojournalist offers photography classes

Learn how to take great photographs from award-winning photojournalist Jim McNutt during four sessions to be offered at the Peters Township Public Library.

McNutt has been a photojournalist for the Observer-Reporter newspaper for the past 41years and a former adjunct professor at Washington and Jefferson College for 22 years. His striking photos have captured people, wildlife, nature and everyday life, winning him the 2011 PA Associated Press Award - First Place Feature for “Little Man, Big Shot” and the 2011 Keystone Publishers Award - Honorable Mention for “Sawyer Glacier in Alaska.” Visit www.observer-reporter.com/or/mcnuttgallery/ to view a collection of his photographs.

During the four-part series with McNutt, you will learn how to see photo possibilities, compose better images, and how to use your camera more effectively. The cost is $75 for the classes to be offered on the following dates and times:
• Thursday, September 22 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
• Thursday, September 29 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday, October 1 at 9:00 a.m. to meet at library then travel to a remote location for a photo session.
• Thursday, October 6 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Register at the library’s circulation desk for this 4-part program.

What's in Your Child's Backpack?

“Back to school” means shopping for new clothes, new shoes and, of course, a new backpack – but it’s what’s inside your child’s backpack that parents may need to be concerned about this school year.

On Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m., the Peters Township Public Library will present “What’s in Your Child’s Backpack?” an interactive presentation by the Washington County Health Partners, Inc., a local non-profit organization in Washington County. The educational toolkit used in the program will demonstrate the similarities between tobacco products that are packaged to look like candy. Participants will get to see these smokeless products first hand. The presentation will explain how new tobacco and nicotine-containing products appeal to youth, why 30% of youth get addicted from their very first use, and how tobacco company marketing fund amounts compare to youth smoking rates.

To register for this free program online, visit the library circulation desk or call 724-941-9430.

New “Listen While You Walk” program

New research indicates that walking is not only good for your health – it’s also good for your brain. A study by the Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, discovered older adults who walk at a comfortable pace for 40 minutes three times a week can enhance the connectivity between brain circuits and improve cognitive tasks like multitasking and using memory.

Beginning Thursday, September 8 at 9:15 a.m., members of the community can join Peters Township Public Library staff and volunteers for a 30-minute walk on the nearby Arrowhead Trail. Called “Listen While You Walk,” this new program offers the opportunity to combine physical exercise while listening to a favorite book or author. The library will offer a selection “Playaways,” all in one audiobooks, for participants to choose from for their walk.

Library Director Pier Lee explained that the library is “offering this fall program as a practical way to help our patrons find time to exercise while listening to a favorite book, whether it’s bestseller or classic title. The Playaway makes a perfect walking companion. At only 2 ounces, it’s light-weight and fits into the palm of your hand.”

Persons of all ages are encouraged to join in this new venture to exercise your mind while getting your body in shape. Participants will meet at the library at 9:15 a.m., select a Playaway, and proceed from the library to the Arrowhead Trail for a thirty minute walk.

Register for this free program online, at the library circulation desk, or call 724-941-9430. For more information about the program, call the Reference Department at 724-941-9430 extension 3.