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Spring into Action with these .Eardening Safety Tips Get Ready... Before you Go . Warm up with some stretches that are slow, sustained 10~20 seconds and pain free. - Plan ahead: Have the right tools for the job, maintained and ready for safe use. - Plan the work area for your comfort. .Avoid pain and injury when you begin gardening by keeping your body in shape all year round. Do regular physical activity and stretching, “Position” Yourself for Success - Find your “easy zone” - a comfortable posture for your body to work in Avoid "out of zone" postures by: - Moving with your work. Keep your work in front of and close to your body to avoid reaching and twisting. - Using tools to assist you (eg. stool, sprinkler, hose caddy). - Positioning your body at the height ofyour work. Tools of the Trade - Match the size of the gardening tool handle to the size of your hand. - Hold yourtools in a loose comfortable grip. Holding too tight may cause injury. - Use tools to reduce work - Keep digging and cutting tools sharp. - Consider using a low, padded kneeling stool, with side handles to help you stand up, when working at ground level. Be creative! Adapt or create your tools for your comfort: - Pad the handle for hand comfort ~ Use knee pads or a foam pad for kneeling Congratulations to the winners of the 4-H Regional Scholarships! Martina Phister - Dorothy Futcher Scholarship (Southern) Know your Limits - Work within your physical strength. Occupational Health Standards list safe lifting loads as: 64 lbs for middle aged men and 28 lbs for women, but a safe lift is less than this when the load is: - Low to the ground or overhead - Deep in a wheelbarrow or basket or difficult to reach - An awkward shape Courtney Kiss â€" Sixtieth Anniversary Scholarship (Eastern) Marianne den Haan â€" FWIO Hoodlessâ€"Lee Scholarship Proof of enrollment must be received in the FWlO Provincial Office by September 30, 2006 or scholarship will be forfeited to alternate. s Pace yourself ~ Take a break when you’re tired. r Spread heavy lifting and digging tasks over a week rather than a weekend. ' Spread major projects throughout spring, summer and fall. Take time to recover between projects. District Secretaries will receive 4-H Scholarship Information Packages in July. Please note the deadline for ‘ Rotate tasks. Avoid over-use in'uries . . . J sumeSSIon IS March 1 of each year! by working in different positions. For more information contact Kim at the FWlO Provincial Office. These gardening safety tips are offered to you by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and its almost 10,000 member physiotherapists, who want you to have a healthy and active gardening season. Visit their web site at http://wwwphysiotherapyca Toot Your own Horn! Public relations is vital to the success of notâ€"for-profit organizations. No matter how important your cause is, you should not expect that everybody will know about it or even about your organization. Proactive communication is essential to success. From building awareness and credibility to supporting fundraising efforts, a well- executed, strategic public relations program can make the difference between achieving one’s goals or falling desperately short of them.