Meal

Seems as though we haven't even had winter yet, and planning is under way for the sport of summer: baseball.   Maryland District 1 Little League will hold a rules and umpire clinic beginning Tuesday, Feb. 7, and running each Tuesday in February. Coaches, umpires, team parents and others are encouraged to attend and hear about the rule changes going into effect this season. There are bat changes of which parents should be aware. The classes will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and will be held at the Church of Christ on Leitersburg Pike.  For more information, call Denny Hockensmith at 301-416-2841or Dave Grams at 301-791-1687.

Haven Lutheran Church, at 1035 Haven Road in Hagerstown, will hold its third annual community yard and bake sale Saturday, April 16, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to benefit Holly Place and Habitat for Humanity.   The church is offering table space for $20, which will be donated to Holly Place and Habitat for Humanity. What you sell you keep. There will be a bake sale and other food offerings along with hand-crafted items. For more information, call 301-733-5056. Dinner planned Salem Reformed Church, at 13182 Salem Church Road, will hold a hog maw dinner Saturday at 5 p.m. Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for those ages 5 to 12.   The dinner includes hog maw, coleslaw, applesauce, a drink and dessert.

Editor's note: This continues our occasional feature on fighting childhood obesity. Maybe your mom wasn't June Cleaver, sporting an apron and pearls. And Dad didn't wear a tie. But the chances are pretty good that you sat down almost every night to a family meal. Food appeared hot out of the oven and everyone was given a chore - setting the table, serving, washing the dishes. There also was proper etiquette and shared conversation. Today, for many people, such a scene is a quaint luxury.

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The list of day trips sponsored by Shippensburg's Fort Morris Chapter, AARP 3324, for the remainder of 2007 has changed. The trip to New York City in December has been canceled and a holiday mystery trip has been planned. Other upcoming trips include: · Monday, Aug. 20 - The American Music Theatre, matinee performance by Kenny Rogers. A meal and time for shopping will be included. · Tuesday, Sept. 11 - The American Music Theatre, selections of "Broadway's Best.

Gyra Chan St. James Lacrosse Junior What's your favorite food? French fries Who is your favorite cartoon character? Timmy Turner or Danny Phantom ... it's pretty close What is your biggest ambition? To become a doctor Three people I'd like to have lunch with: Sigmund Freud, Brad Pitt, Jesus Christ Who's your favorite musical group or artist? Stars The best thing about my school is: My friends The worst thing about my school is: Waking up early My classmates would probably name me 'Most likely to ...': Be embarrassing One place I'd most like to visit: Cuba If a genie gave you three wishes, what would they be?

This time of year, many people begin dieting — to "lean" up for the summer. But unfortunately most of these people will fail. Why? Because the diet tends to be too strict, too soon. Back in my bodybuilding days, I gradually progressed myself into the super-strict competition diet. By easing into the most difficult part of the nutrition program, I was better able to stick to it. Even then, I had an ace up my sleeve, which really cemented my compliance: the cheat meal. If you are dieting, the cheat meal, or the "refeed," as it's been called, is a powerful weapon in the dieter's arsenal against fat because it gives a nice reward for a week of disciplined eating.

The last several years have been sad ones for Howard Sprankle. He said his mother died nearly five years ago, and Thursday marked the first time in three years that he wasn't able to enjoy the free community Thanksgiving dinner with his father at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waynesboro. “He had a (health) problem,” Sprankle said of his father. “I'll have to take him a meal. I don't like it. I wish he was here.” Sprankle, 54, of Waynesboro, was among roughly 200 people who gathered around tables covered with orange and yellow cloths to enjoy the meal in the church basement.

For billions of Christians around the world, Lent and meatless meals go hand in hand. But if you're not exactly hooked on fish, there is an alternative. Give it up for soup. At St. Ann Catholic Church in the north end of Hagerstown, Lenten Soup Suppers have become a Friday night tradition. They not only provide people with an opportunity to observe their meat-free Fridays, they also bolster a sense of community, said Susan Seiler. A former coordinator of the weekly meals, Seiler said the tradition began more than a decade ago as an evening of fellowship, as well as an outreach project to raise money for area shelters.

Is it better to eat dinner at 5:30 or 9 p.m.? Or does it matter at all? Yes, it does matter if good health and weight loss are your goals. Even if you want to discourage weight gain, you are better off to eat most of your calories in the morning rather than late afternoon or night. Studies show that our biological clocks - "circadian rhythms" are set to store more calories in the evening for two reasons: 1. Metabolic rate begins to decline in late afternoon, reaching its lowest caloric burning point during the evening - a slowing down that prepares us for sleep.

Area churches and volunteers will try to make sure no one goes hungry this Christmas. Among them, Lifehouse Bethel and the Williamsport ministerium, a group of eight churches, will each serve a free Christmas dinner on Saturday, while volunteers from Hagerstown Community College and Food & Friends will deliver special meals to families on Wednesday. On a day marked by piles of torn wrapping paper and lavish meals, many people still go without, said Pastor David Rodriguez of Lifehouse Bethel.