District
administrators raising funds for worthy causes
Administrators in Watervliet are busy this
month raising funds for some worthy causes. Mr. Padalino
and Mrs. O'Brien are under arrest for
MDA Lock-Up and Ms. Caplan is
gearing up to take the ride of her life to fight diabetes.
If they reach their set goals they will have raised almost $5,000
for charity between the three of them.
"Helen Keller said that
true happiness is
not attained through self-gratification but through commitment to a
worthy purpose," said Mr. Padalino. "I am proud of our
administrators and everyone here at Watervliet who makes the extra
effort to help their fellow man."
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Mr. Padalino
and Mrs. O'Brien are under arrest for MDA Lock-Up
Superintendent Paul Padalino and Watervliet
Elementary Principal Terri O'Brien have both been placed "under
arrest" by the Muscular Dystrophy
Association. They have until May 20 to raise their bail.
Mr. Padalino is working to raise $2,400 and Mrs. O'Brien's goal is $1,200.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is a
voluntary health agency -- a dedicated partnership between
scientists and concerned citizens aimed at conquering neuromuscular
diseases that affect more than a million Americans. The money
Mr. Padlino and Mrs. O'Brien raise will be used to send local children
afflicted by this disease to MDA summer camp. MDA Camp is a magical
place where year-round skills are developed and where a child with a
disability can just be a kid. At MDA Camp, barriers for children
with
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disabilities simply do not exist. Each camp provides a wide
range of activities especially designed for young people who have
limited mobility or use wheelchairs. Accessible activities range
from outdoor sports such as swimming, boating, baseball, football
and horseback riding, to less physically demanding programs like
arts and crafts and talent shows.
"As educators, we know how important it is for
children to be engaged in activities that involve both learning and
fun over their summer vacation and summer camp can be an important
part of that," said Mr. Padalino. "MDA is helping to make this a reality
for kids who might otherwise not be able to experience camp, so when
they called I said 'go-ahead... lock me up!'"
Mrs. O'Brien agreed. "The money we are raising will
make a real difference to these children and help give them memories
that will last a lifetime - what a worthy cause!" she said.
Both administrators are accepting donations up
until May 20th, the day they have to "make bail." If you are
interested in making a donation you can send or drop off a check
made out to "MDA" to one of the following locations:
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Mrs. Terri O'Brien
Watervliet
Elementary School
2557 10th Ave.
Watervliet, NY 12189 |
Mr. Paul Padalino
Watervliet
Jr./Sr. High School
1245
Hillside Drive
Watervliet,
NY 12189 |
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Ms. Caplan
takes the ride of her life to fight diabetes
Lori Caplan, principal of Watervliet Jr./Sr.
High School, will be participating in the annual Tour de Cure to
benefit the American Diabetes
Association. The 100 mile ride is taking place on June 8, and
she and the
Kivort Steele Cycling team hope to raise $15,000 by that date.
Ms. Caplan's mother has Type 2 diabetes, so it is a disease that effects
her life personally. Ms. Caplan is on her way to reaching her
personal goal of $1,500 and her team is more than halfway to their goal,
having raised over $7,600 so far.
"Training to ride 100 miles has not been easy,
but when I think about what my mom and other diabetics go through
every day, that little bit of discomfort seems like a small price to
pay to help raise money for this amazing cause," Ms. Caplan said.
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The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the
nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes
research, information and advocacy. Powered by a network of more
than one million volunteers—and a membership representing diabetes
patients and their families, physicians, scientists, nurses,
dietitians, pharmacists and educators—ADA's mission is to
prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people
affected by diabetes.
You can make a donation to Ms. Caplan's fund online by visiting her
Tour de Cure homepage. Checks made out to "American Diabetes
Association" can also be mailed to :
Ms. Lori Caplan
Watervliet Jr./Sr.
High School
1245 Hillside Drive
Watervliet, NY
12189
Diabetes is becoming the new American
health epidemic of the century. Consider these facts:
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Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of
death by disease in the U.S. Diabetes is a chronic disease
that has no cure.
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The incidence of diabetes has
increased by 61 percent since 1990 and continues to rise at
an alarming rate.
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More than 20.8 million Americans have
diabetes—including more than five million who don't even
know it.
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An additional 54 million people have
pre-diabetes, putting them at great risk for developing type
2 diabetes.
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One out of every three Americans born
in the year 2000 will develop diabetes.
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More than $132 billion direct and
indirect healthcare costs are attributed to diabetes (2002
statistics).
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