Heart Healthy

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, said McAlester Regional Heath Center dietician Brian Musgrove, as he opened his informational program at McAlester Public Library Thursday night. The audience learned about portion sizes, sodium recommendations, exercise, fiber, cholesterol, and other nutrition topics during the program called "Heart Healthy: Real-Life Food Choices." Musgrove also took a number of questions from audience members.

‘Heart Healthy’ Program Thursday

A free informational program by dieticians from McAlester Regional Health Center will be offered at 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 24 at McAlester Public Library. The program, in conjunction with American Heart Month, will give participants cooking tips and suggestions for “real life food choices.” Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome to attend.

Children’s Author Visits

BAWK BAWK BAWK (or was it “book, book, book?”). Either way, there was a lot of noise and excitement at McAlester Public Library Thursday, Feb. 17, when children’s author Tammi Sauer (standing, in background) presented two programs to standing-room-only crowds. Also attending? One very large chicken, who led youngsters in the chicken dance and helped to promote Sauer’s books, which included “Chicken Dance,” the winner of the 2010 Oklahoma Book Award. More about the author can be found at http://www.tammisauer.com.

Cowboys, Monsters…and Chickens?

Tammi Sauer, award-winning Oklahoma children’s author, will be bringing fun and excitement to McAlester Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 17 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. with a program full of galloping, mayhem, chicken dancing and readings from her books.

The author will read from: “Cowboy Camp,” a rootin’ tootin’ tale of Avery the Cowboy, who becomes an unlikely hero; “Mostly Monsterly,” the story of a young monster named Bernadette who has a deep, dark secret; and “Chicken Dance,” about two of the most rock-‘n-roll crazed chickens ever known.

“Chicken Dance” is the winner of the 2010 Oklahoma Book Award for children’s literature, as well as seven awards, including the 2010 book choice for “Read Across Oklahoma.”

“We’ll have refreshments, books to purchase and free educational materials to give away,” said Children’s Librarian Anita Ross. “The program is designed for children in grades K-5, but we’d also like to invite anyone with an interest in reading or writing children’s literature.”

There are also plans for a quick craft for audience members to “make and take,” Ross said. “We’ll be making ‘Elvis Poultry’ sunglasses, and if time and lack of embarrassment allow, doing the ‘Chicken Dance’ as well.”

Sauer is also the author of the just-released children’s book “Mr. Duck Means Business,” about an uppity duck who goes haywire when the barnyard animals show up for a surprise swim in his otherwise peaceful pond.

Sauer is a former teacher and library media specialist who resides in Edmond with her husband Ron and their two children Julia and Mason.

“Join us for a dynamic program, and bring your camera for a special photo opportunity,” Ross said. “The program is free and open to the public.”

For more information call 918-426-0930. McAlester Public Library is located at 401 N. 2nd.

Chicken Dance Author, Healthy Food Events Set in February

By KATHY McGILBERRY

We’ve broken several plastic scrapers, depleted a case a de-icer and shoveled our way across Pittsburg County to get you the February library news, so let’s shake the snow off our boots and get this fire started. Of course, as this is being written on Feb. 5, more winter weather is expected tomorrow and next week besides, so all scheduled activities are subject to cancellation or postponement should conditions warrant.

The organizational meeting for the new Inspirational Book Club, originally set for 4 p.m. Feb. 1, was postponed due to inclement weather. A new meeting date will be announced.

Regular teen activities are on tap this month, with the Manga Club set to meet at 5 p.m. Feb. 7, the book club and TAG group set to meet at 4 p.m. Feb. 21 and the new Yu-Gi-Oh club set to meet at 4 p.m. Feb. 28. Movies are scheduled every Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m., and game time is on Thursdays beginning at 3:30 p.m.

There is a special event for children and parents on from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15. Children’s author Tammi Sauer, author of “Chicken Dance,”  “Mostly Monsterly,” and “Cowboy Camp,” will be at McAlester Public Library for a special program. Details will be announced in the local newspaper, so be on the lookout for that event.

Other regular children’s activities continue as usual this month, with Lapsits and movie times on Tuesdays, Story Times on Wednesdays and game times on Thursdays. Family Fun Night will be Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room.

Another special event, this one for adults, will be a presentation by dieticians from McAlester Regional Health Center on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. titled “Heart Healthy: Real-Life Food Choices and Cooking Tips.” The program, in conjunction with American Heart Month, will demonstrate easy ways to live a healthier life.

Now here’s a quick and toasty-warm look at this and the rest of the regular February adult and family activity schedule:

*Monday, Feb. 7 and Mondays thereafter—Volunteers from AARP will be on hand to provide free tax help from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year the tax preparers will be at the library on Mondays only, so make your plans accordingly.

*Wednesday, Feb. 9—The free crafts workshop this month will feature Valentine booklets made from a variety of new and recycled materials. Spaces are limited for all the hearts-and-flowers fun, so register by calling the library at 426-0930. The workshop runs from 1-3 p.m. each second Wednesday of the month.

*Thursday, Feb. 10—The Bookies postponed their February meeting due to bad weather on Feb. 3, so they’ll be discussing Julia Child’s “My Life in France” from 1-3 p.m. in the Conference Room one week later than usual.

*Saturday, Feb. 12—Second Saturday Cinema always features a family-friendly movie, and the flick this month is all about champion racehorse Secretariat. The film is rated PG and there will be plenty of free popcorn, all beginning at 2 p.m.

*Monday, Feb. 14—We searched high and low for a film that was both arty (for Arthouse Theater,  lovey-dovey (for Valentine’s Day), and current,  and we came up with Ben Stiller playing a character called Roger Greenberg in an R-rated tale that’s garnered four Independent Spirit Award nominations. Stiller is nominated for Best Male Lead this year, and you can see his performance for free, all before the awards ceremony, which is set for Feb. 26.

*Tuesday, Feb. 15—Friends of the Library will meet for their noon luncheon, then at 6:30 p.m. the Night Readers will meet to discuss Greg Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea.”

*Thursday, Feb. 24—Again, don’t forget to do your heart a favor and attend the free program presented at 6:30 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room by dieticians from MRHC. Get those real-life food choices and cooking tips at “Heart Healthy.”

*And finally, Monday, Feb. 28—The first-run independent movie from Film Movement this month is another great flick from Canada called “Nurse.Fighter.Boy.” It stars “Homicide” and “The Wire” actor Clark Johnson, and is described as the story of a single mother who descends from a long line of Jamaican caregivers, a past-his-prime boxer who fights illegally to survive, and a boy who delves into music to conjure dreams for his mother. The fates of the three characters are forever entwined after a dramatic late-night brawl. The film comes out of the Toronto Film Festival and you can see it for free here at the library.

And that’s your look at our schedule this frosty, freezy February. If you can chisel your way out of the old igloo, come see us at the library!