The new year is the traditional time for a new beginning, to make changes in our lives, to attempt to alter some destiny or another through New Year's resolutions.
A favorite resolution -- the one repeated by millions of people every year -- is: "I'm going to lose weight." Yes, all those year-end holiday calories now have to be burned away, along with those left over from Thanksgiving and numerous other moments of over-indulgence.
For many people, especially those who have tried and failed, the weight-loss challenge is frightening. But Howard County General Hospital is ready to help. The hospital offers a number of weight-loss and exercise programs that feature counseling sessions with a registered dietitian.
The programs emphasize nutrition and food portion control, exercise and realistic weight loss goals.
One of the most popular is the Weight Connection, a 12-week program for people who wish to lose 10 to 40 pounds.
The next Weight Connection session begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23 in the new hospital Health Education Center.
Other programs include Dietary Counseling, featuring four individualized weekly sessions, and the eight-week Individual Weight-Loss Counseling program for school-age children and adults.
These and other Howard County General programs are an excellent way to help guarantee that you will keep your New Year's weight-loss resolution and begin living a healthier, happier life.
For more information on the weight-loss and exercise programs, call 740-7600.
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On Monday, members of Columbia's black community began celebrating Kawanzaa, a cultural holiday based on the harvest celebrations in Africa and symbolized by seven basic life principles.
West Columbia is featuring a number of Kawanzaa events. Daily Kawanzaa festivities will be held through Friday at Kahler Hall in Harper's Choice Village Center. They include music, artwork, dancing, storytelling and reflections on the historical aspects of the celebration. Call 730-0770 for times of the various scheduled activities.
The local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and St. John Baptist Church have joined to sponsor a Kawanzaa celebration from 6 to 10 to night at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center. Entertainment will include singing, dancing and stories told by Natalie Woodson.
The Howard County Center of African-American Culture will celebrate Kawanzaa with an open house from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at One Commerce Center in Columbia Town Center.
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Howard County General Hospital recently recognized employee Vivian Parham, who is celebrating her 20th year of service with the hospital.
Ms. Parham, who began working in the hospital housekeeping )) department in 1974, is a cafeteria supervisor responsible for the day-to-day service operations of the hospital cafeteria.
Her three grown daughters also work at the hospital.
Daughter Lynn, a 16-year hospital employee, works in the medical records department. Nina, who began at the hospital in 1989, works in guest services. The last Parham daughter to begin work at the hospital was Myra, who took a part-time job in dietary services in 1990 and now works full time in patient accounting.
Members of the Parham family live near one another in the Village of Harper's Choice.
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Whether you want to spruce up a room in the house or create a conversation piece to hang on the wall, you will want to attend the decorative painting classes being offered at Slayton House in Wilde Lake Village.
Three classes will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays, beginning Jan. 9.
Stephanie Wise will teach various decorative painting techniques, including stenciling, sponging and marbling.
The cost for all three classes is $35, excluding materials. A supply list of materials needed for the classes will be provided upon registration.
For additional information or to register, call Carole Black, Slayton House program coordinator, at 730-3987.
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The ever-popular drop-in Bedtime Story Time will continue at the Central Library during January. Story times will be held from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Central Library on Jan. 12 and Jan. 31.
The bedtime stories are selected for 3- to 5-year-olds, and parents are invited to bring children in their pajamas, ready to be put to bed when they return home.
For more information about Bedtime Story Time and other library programs for children, contact Jo Puckett, Central Library children's librarian, at 313-7880.
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The office for the Village of River Hill has been receiving more and more calls for baby sitters. The list of available sitters is small and apparently not sufficient to support the number of requests.
As a result, the village office is searching for teens interested in providing baby-sitting services for River Hill parents. If you are interested, call Sunny McGuinn, River Hill Village manager, at 596-9004, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.