From September 4, 2008 issue Angel food ministries helps with grocery relief Angel Food Ministries, a non-profit, non-denominational organization is dedicated to providing grocery relief and financial support to communities. Angel Food Ministries is now available at the Southeastern Church of Christ 6500 Southeastern Ave. There are no applications or qualifications to order Angel Food. The groceries are sold in a quantity that can fit in a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each month's menu is different from the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $55. One unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one would purchase at a grocery store with no second-hand items, damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe. A senior box is now available for $25. The meals are top quality that will provide senior citizens the nutrition they need. Individual meals are fully-cooked and labeled with heating instructions. Also offered are specialty boxes such as steak, chicken, and pork with no limit to the number of units or bonus food an individual can purchase. Angel Food Ministries also participates in the U.S. Food Stamp Program. For more information or an order form call the church office at 352-9296. Life-changing weight loss story to be shared As the tragedy of Sept. 11 struck around her, Stacey Halprin was trapped in her apartment just one mile from the World Trade Center because at 550 pounds, she was unable to escape on her own. Today, Halprin has transformed herself to a healthy 190 pounds and shares her weight loss journey with others. She will be the keynote speaker at 5:30 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 11, at an event hosted by St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers. Stacey Halprin is a nationally recognized actress and author who has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The night includes dinner and a fashion show highlighting local weight loss success stories. The event includes health care information and resources. The program will take place In the Scottish Rite Cathedral ballroom 650 N. Meridian St. Halprin will be signing copies of her book "Winning After Losing" and her book will be available for purchase at the event. Cost is $30 per person. Reservations are required at shop. St. Francis Hospitals.org or call 865-5866.   It doesn't feel like fall yet, but September does usher in the season. The signs at garden centers relay the message that Mums Have Arrived. They seem to be synonymous with autumn. Chrysanthemums came to us via China where they have been growing for 2,000 years. The horticulturists in the United States have done extensive hybridizing with this plant and what we now see in the market are plants that are sometimes unique, disease resistant, and have longer lives. Dammann's Garden Center has over 25 cultivars of mums to sell you this season. The mum, which is related to the daisy, can be sold as early, mid season and late types so the calculating gardener can have them blooming from August until November. The words "hardy mum" are a bit deceiving for most do not survive the Indiana winters. It is important if you want to have the mum survive that you plant them in the ground in September, giving the roots time to mature before a hard freeze. Another tip to retain the mums for next year is careful mulching so that the plants are not heaved up out of the ground during the freeze and thaw of winter weather. During the growing season mums like lots of water, but they do not like to sit in a poorly- drained area which only rots the roots. A lot of gardeners ask if pinching is important for healthy mums. Pinching keeps the mums from getting leggy, encourages the flower to .produce many blooms, and keeps the plant from blooming in July. The famous garden adage says that you need to pinch in May, June and July (never past July 4), but I have pinched even in August and have still had blooms. Continue to pinch off spent blooms throughout the fall for there are other blooms underneath that can't find sunlight because of the larger blossoms on top. Many mums are given girls' names. It would give special meaning to plant mums that have the same name as your daughters or granddaughters. Some that are available include Beth (red), Erica (yellow), Hannah (gold), Jennifer (gold with rust), Vanna (white of course), Emily (coral), Bonnie (red with a yellow center), and Fiona (salmon). If the grass in your lawn is too thin or too full of crabgrass now is the time to aerate. You can have a lawn professional do the work or you can do the work yourself with a machine from a rental center. After aerating, you need to over seed with a high quality grass seed mixture. Sufficient water must be applied until the grass has a good start. "By all these lovely tokens September days are here, with summer's best of weather, and autumn's best of cheer. " Helen Hunt Jackson, 1830 La Leche meets Pregnant women, nursing mothers and children are invited to the Greenwood La Leche League monthly meeting at 10 a.m. Sept. 10 at the Methodist Medical Plaza, 8830 S. Meridian St. in the Community Room on the south side of building. Topics include the art of breastfeeding. For more information call 784-8286 or 885-7342.   The Spotlight 4217 S. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN 46217 Office: 317-444-4554 • Fax: 317-788-4570 E-mail: spotlightads@indyweb.net

From September 4, 2008 issue • Beech Grove welcomes new teachers to high school • Self-taught artist's work at many venues Award-winning painter prefers using pastels and oils as favorite medium By Fred D. Caviinder, Spotlight correspondent • Chili cook-off raises funds for burn camp • Beech Grove News • SPOTLIGHT BRIEFS     • • Arts & Entertainment Page   • Looking Back By Robin Graves, Spotlight staff • Reality As I See It By Denise Summers, Spotlight staff • Sports Page