Fiesta Bowl Parade Saturday

Nobles,

It’s nearly time for the Fiesta Bowl Parade and I certainly appreciate everyone who has volunteered to meet at the Temple or elsewhere and carpool to the Fiesta Bowl Parade.  Unfortunately for us, the Fiesta Bowl Parade Committee has seriously slashed the number of parking passes for El Zaribah this year, but I can tell you that this same committee is also trying their best to help El Zaribah while in the parade as well as trying to afford us more TV coverage.  We were thrown a couple of other curves for the parade that we had to deal with but most of the Nobles have chosen to take a positive approach to our roadblocks as opposed to pulling out of the parade.  We’ve learned a lot from these complications this year and I am quite sure the Divan will act on them for the following years in a positive manner.

The Divan and  the Most Worshipful Grand Master, are doing their part to help and will meet at the Temple to carpool.  We have a 12 passenger van and at this time have 5 seats available if you would like a ride.  We will depart the Temple at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning for the parade.  If you would like to ride with us, please contact me via my cell phone number below.

We’re looking at a low temperature of 48 degrees and a high temperature of 72 degrees on Saturday.

Don’t forget, at the end of the parade we will head back to El Zaribah for Sloppy Joe Sandwiches, Slaw, Beans, Chips and desserts.  Your spouses are also welcome to join the Divan Ladies, who will open the Temple at 10:00 AM with hot chocolate, coffee and snacks.  The parade begins at 11:00 am on ABC Channel 15.

Thank you again for supporting El Zaribah and the 2011 Fiesta Bowl Parade.

Fraternally,

Tom Calvin, Potentate

El Zaribah Shriners

Is It What's WRONG With These Kids? Or What's RIGHT With These Kids?

Jeffrey Gitomer

Kids!
I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They are disobedient, disrespectful oafs!
Noisy, crazy, dirty, lazy, loafers!
While we're on the subject:
Kids!
You can talk and talk till your face is blue!
Kids!
But they still just do what they want to do!
Why can't they be like we were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids today?

Those are the lyrics from the song "Kids," from the Broadway play Bye Bye Birdie, written by Lee Adams. And while you may think they were written about today's generation of kids, the song was written in 1959 - more than 50 years ago. In 1959 there was no computers, cell phones, Internet, Super Mario, cable TV, or fax machines - and of course no iPods.

Most companies have multi-generational salespeople and multi-generational customers. The more experienced salespeople and sales managers are always criticizing or blaming youth for what they are not, what they don't bring to the table, what's wrong with them, and why they're not more like "us."

It's referred to as a "generation gap." And for the most part it's self-imposed. Self-imposed generational gaps are caused by a failure to understand, embrace, and communicate. An easier way to describe it is: "It's not like what we do, therefore it's wrong." And that statement can be made from one group to another and vice-versa.

FACT: Generation gaps are timeless. They apply to EVERY generation of kids and adults for the past 200 years.

These days, people over 40 have tried to segment kids by category. Gen-this or gen-that. How about "gen-smart" or "they're a generation smarter than we are"?

How about "gen-impatient" or "they're a generation with no patience for anyone (including employers - maybe even including you) who doesn't get it"?

Montana Shriners bring Cheer

The Shriners Hospital has the power to cheer people up, regardless of the time of year, but they made the holiday season even more cheerful for a few football players by naming them to the 2012 East West Shrine Game All Star roster. The game will be played July 21, 2012 in Great Falls. It is one of the oldest high school all-star football games in the United States. Scroll down to see the roster.

Hit Of The Week: former Shrine Game All Star Matt Miller, the former Capital guy, now playing for Boise State, played a big role in the Broncos beat-down of Arizona State. He caught a touchdown, then later in the half he threw one...and his team won easily over a few guys with Montana ties themselves...56-24 the final.

Masons hold installation of officers

Masons hold installation of officers

Pull Tabs » Shrine Club of Southeastern Mass

Pull Tabs » Shrine Club of Southeastern Mass

What is you Shrine club doing to raise money for the Shriners Hospital for Children or the Transporation Fund?

Pull-Tabs for Kids

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The Shriner’s collect the pull-tabs for four reasons, first, it allows others to help without additional cost to them. Second, because it allows people to help while keeping the can which they can still turn back in to recover the full redemption fee. Third, by recycling the aluminum, the Shriner’s are being environmentally friendly (It requires approximately 15% of the energy to recycle the already refined aluminum rather than mine new aluminum). Most importantly, it also is another way to help kids receive world class-care at the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children. The Aleppo Shriner’s (our parent organization) have collected over 15 tons of pull tabs and have raised over $310,000 in a single year to provide transportation to the Shriner’s Hospitals. The Shrine Club of Southeastern Mass recently submitted over 2 1/2 tons (about 5.8 million pull-tabs) to be recycled. Because our goal is continuing we need your help by dropping off pull-tabs

LeeAnn Has held Car-Ne-Fair at the SHC-LA several times

Three Humanitarians Help Kids Read

Zahra Universe- Recording Artist, Lee Ann Butler-Owens- Lullalee Founder(reading non-profit) Sandy Masin ( Give the World your Heart- non-profit) Raise awareness for positive Teen Messages in 2012. Masin and Butler-Owens, co-authored " Journey to Lushland". A book for all to read. Zahra just released her CD Falling in Love. 

"My heartbeats and music really connected with Lee Ann and Sandy heartbeats to help launch their book for a great cause for children worldwide,” Zahra announced.” What’s better than kids falling in love with reading while counting their positive heartbeats to focus on learning? This is a song unto itself with never ending lyrics.” 
“In a world where children are faced daily with a barrage of negativity, Happy Heartbeats Counter™ Journey To Lushland encourages children the means of connection by all the positive things that they and others do each day," stated Sandy Masin, Founder of Give The World Your Heart, a 501(c)(3) non-profit company. "This creates a positive, self-satisfying atmosphere for learning and life. All you really have to do is very simple. Just take a little time, get involved, record your heartbeats into the counter and enjoy what you did that day." 
"I see counting total positive heartbeats as a fun way to maintain the trust of a child’s focus to learn with educators and parents alike" remarked Lee Ann Butler Owens, founder of Lullalee Productions and Services. "Many children just need positive influences in their lives to learn and our book Journey to Lushland delivers this important message" 
About Zahra Universe: 
With tremendous vocal and piano talent, songwriting skills, looks and determination, Zahra has her own style and place in the music world combining all of these aspects for an incredible and powerful message. To speak through her music, have fun, and get the world involved in a variety of humanitarian issues facing our world of today and tomorrow is the constant goal. 
Zahra first hit the pop-music scene with her R&B/pop club and radio hits "Drop" and "Up in da Club". Now with a twist of dance-pop flavor, Zahra bursts through the club speakers and music airways with her dance/pop singles and 3D music videos "Falling in Love" and "Dancin by the Fire" which will be followed by more hit tracks from her forthcoming album in 2012. Just like the title, this hot album is full of modern dance rhythms, explosive lyrics, strong yet sensual vocals, with a touch of mystery and exotic spice. 
About Give The World Your Heart 
Give The World Your Heart, Inc. (www.GTWYH.org), a 501(c)(3) non-profit company, founder and producers of Give The World Your Heart TV (www.GTWYH.TV) an Internet TV Channel dedicated to the community of people interested in participating in positive, healthy activities to help themselves and others improve the planet and tally their heartbeats while doing so. 
Give The World Your Heart TV viewers enjoy positive motivational programming, live webcasts, music video, documentaries and shows from participants from all over the globe, that encourage viewers to send their heartbeats in an effort to grow a new health heartbeat counting measurement called Total Gratitude Heartbeat Counter. 
Recently announced a new Diabetics study for participation in our DEEPEST activities and count heartbeats for the world heartbeat counter will Feel Better, reduce HbA1C levels, show more daily glucose levels in normal range and report feeling better both physically and emotionally. See replay of press release found here. 
Give The World Your Heart key focus is on positive programs for kids including wellness and lowering obesity. 
Lullalee Productions and Services 
Lullalee/PS 501(c)3 operating in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, has a six year history of community service delivering art and literacy programs and special events that have touched the lives of thousands of children and their families. Lullalee has donated over $700,000.00 in books and services to children nationwide.

Raiderettes at Shriners Hospitals for Children

By Rebecca Corman

Posted Dec 20, 2011Nine Raiderettes spent time with the kids at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento, Calif.

Nine Raiderettes visited Shriners Hospital for Children.Photo by Tony Gonzales

Recently, Raiderettes Annie, Bess, Chanel, Diana, Kathleen, Lytisha, Mallorie, Sarah Marie, and Tori, visited Shriners Hospitals for Children® — Northern California in Sacramento, Calif. Football’s Fabulous Females performed for the patients and their families, visited the ICU, posed for photos, and spent time in the activities room with the kids. The nine Raiderettes brought positive energy and smiles to the hospital.

According to Catherine Curran, Director, Public Relations at Shriners Hospitals for Children, “Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California provides expert care to children with orthopaedic conditions, spinal cord injuries, burns, cleft lip & palate and scars from any cause. It is one of 22 medical centers in the Shriners system, and it is the only Shriners Hospital that provides care in all disciplines and houses a scientific research program.  The Northern California Shriners Hospitals for Children opened in Sacramento in April 1997 and since then more than 45,000 children have benefited from the hospital’s life-saving, life-changing care.”

The Raiderettes wanted to spend time with the patients and bring some holiday spirit. “We’re here at Shriners Hospital in Sacramento bringing the kids some good feelings and visiting all of them, taking pictures, and dancing with them,” said Raiderette Bess. “It’s been a lot of fun and it’s really making us feel great seeing their eyes light up and seeing them having fun. They are so full of energy and so full of life. It’s so awesome to be here.”

Football’s Fabulous Females started out their visit by performing two routines in the activities center where the patients normally go to play and get away from the monotony of their hospital rooms. “It’s kind of a safe area for the patients,” said Activities Coordinator Kristin Barna about the activities center. “They don’t have to worry about doing therapy while they’re here or having a nursing procedure. And it’s also a spot where they get to choose what they do because when you’re in the hospital, you don’t control why you’re here or what happens to you so when they come to our area, they get to choose the things they like to do and participate in. So that’s really important.”

A large group of kids and their parents came to the activities center to watch and meet the Raiderettes. “This is probably one of the largest groups I have seen down here in quite some time,” said Christine Johnson, another Activities Coordinator at Shriners. “I think there’s a few kids today that I saw smile for the first time since they’ve been here, which is really rewarding, especially some of these kids whose injuries are pretty recent and seeing them really open up and light up has been awesome.”

	Raiderette Annie puts a smile on the young patient's face. Photo by Tony Gonzales

Following their performance, the Raiderettes posed for photos before splitting into two groups. One group stayed downstairs to play games and dance with the patients, while the other group went upstairs to the ICU to meet patients who were unable to leave their rooms. “There were a lot of really, really amazing kids we got to meet,” said Raiderette Mallorie. “We spent a lot of one-on-one time with them and then a few of us went up to the ICU to meet some kids that weren’t able to come down. We met the biggest Raiders fan ever. He had a Raiders Snuggie, a Raiders pillow pet, every kind of Raiders hat, everything. It was adorable. On his wall, it was just his birthday, so he had lots of fun stuff in there. And even though he wasn’t able to talk to us, he was smiling the whole time. Parents were really excited to see us here. We’re so happy to be here.”

Having the Raiderettes at Shriners was not only fun for everyone involved, but also important for the patients. “It means a whole lot for the kids to have something different in their day to feel like they’re still connected to the community, that they’re not just isolated in the hospital,” said Barna. “We just have some huge Raiders fans, one kid upstairs particularly. So for him, during his healing process, to have such a positive thing and a big experience in his hospitalization, it’s just something he’ll always look back on and hopefully it’ll bring a positive light to his hospitalization.”

The Raiderettes were happy that they were able to make an impact on some of the patients and their families. “It’s a wonderful feeling because a lot of the kids don’t get to get out and for us to bring some new surroundings for them is a joy,” said Raiderette Tori. “To see how happy they are – we had one little one following us everywhere. It’s fun to be here with them. It was a great day.”

East-West Game Coaches Selected

Brad Childress and Bobby Ross selected as head coaches of the 87th annual East-West Shrine Game Venerable coaches to lead teams in college football all-star game benefitting Shriners Hospitals for Children ®

TAMPA, Fla. (December 13, 2011) – Brad Childress and Bobby Ross have been selected as head
coaches of the 87 Annual East-West Shrine Game® benefitting Shriners Hospitals for Children.

“We are proud to have two coaches that represent an unbelievable wealth of knowledge of the game
through their collegiate and NFL coaching careers,” said Harold Richardson, executive director of the
East-West Shrine Game. “Most importantly, Coach Ross and Coach Childress are excited to be a part of
this game because it combines great football with a great cause. The players will remember this week for
the rest of their lives.”  

Ross and Childress both have impressive records as coaches and are looking forward to the opportunity
to compete against one another for a good cause. While the East-West Shrine Game allows some of the
best college football players in the country to showcase their talents in front of NFL coaches and scouts,
the true purpose of the game is to raise awareness of Shriners Hospitals for Children.

“This is a great opportunity to give back and provide joy to the children at Shriners Hospital for Children,” said Childress. “Helping our next generation both on and off the field is a cause that is very dear to me.”
“Words cannot describe the feeling you get from bringing so much joy into these children’s lives,” said
Ross, who also coached the game in 2008 and is proud to support Shriners Hospitals for Children for a
second time. “I’m so proud to be back coaching the East-West Shrine Game and helping raise money for
a special cause.“
 
Kick-off is at 4:00 p.m. on January 21, 2012 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. To learn more
about the East-West Shrine Game or to order tickets, please visit www.shrinegame.com.

What to do with your airline Miles program

Shriners Hospitals for Children has been selected as one of the charities to participate in the 10 Million Charity Mile Giveawary program fro US Airlines/Continental.  The more votes we receive the more miles we get.  Please forward this email to your employees, friends and families and encourage them to vote.  We will also be posting this link on our social media sites and sending it to the temples.  You will find the link below.  Thank you for helping us increase our miles and helping with our transportation funds.

http://10millioncharitymiles.com

Terms & Conditions

The 10 Million Charity Miles Giveaway program begins at midnight, December 14, 2011 and ends at 11:59 p.m., December 31, 2011. During this time frame, you may vote for one of the listed charities to increase the percentage of the miles that they receive. You may vote once per day. Membership in MileagePlus or OnePass® programs is not required to vote for your charity. Each charity is guaranteed to receive a minimum of 25,000 miles. The donated miles will be deposited by January 31, 2011.

Have a wonderful holiday.

Amy Ritzel

Interim Corporate Director of Public Relations

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.

I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.

For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.

Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were -- ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.


May you always have LOVE to share,

HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...

And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

Advancing Burn Care Leads to Better Burn Care
13 Total 2012 ABA Abstracts Accepted for Presentation at the annual meeting in Seattle


The Shriners hospital submitted  13 abstracts to the American Burn Association describing various patient care observations, techniques and procedures, new programs and performance improvement initiatives. We recently learned that all 13 abstracts were accepted  - a 100% acceptance rate!
The abstracts were authored by many different disciplines with diverse experience in abstract writing. This year’s abstracts also comprised a wide spectrum of practical bedside topics ranging from burn prevention, sleep, nursing and wound care, nutrition, infection control and rehabilitation, as
well as describing some of our new programs like the Remember Me program and the Journal Club.  Please join us in congratulating our successful ABA abstract authors/coauthors and let us know if you want to begin a clinical research project in 2012


1. Multi-center Testing of Burn Prevention Teaching Tool for Amish Children
   Mary Rieman and Richard Kagan
2. Acute Burns of the Palm: Is Early Splinting Necessary?
   Mary Dougherty, Patti Sharp and Richard Kagan
3. Amish Burn Wound Ointment and Burdock Leaf Dressings: Assessments of
Antimicrobial & Cytotoxic Activities    Mary Rieman, Alice Neely, Steven Boyce,
   William Kossenjans Paula Durkee, Jack Zembrodt, Barb Puthoff an Richard Kagan
4. Remember Me Program: Bridging the Gap between the Hospital and School
   Dan Dunlap, Susan Arnold and Richard Kagan
5. Retrospective Exam of the Effectiveness of Zolpidem for Sleep in Pediatric
Burn Patients with a Known History of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
   Stephanie Cronin, Michele Gottschlich, Lacy Gose and Richard Kagan
6. The Successful Use of a Bridle: A New Way to Wrangle a Pediatric Nasal Feeding Tube
   Angela Hardy, Debbie Harrell, Theresa Mayes and Richard Kagan
7. Long-Term Follow-up Fracture Incidence in Children Receiving Vitamin D
Supplementation during the Acute Phase Postburn
   Theresa Mayes, Michele Gottschlich, Carmen Brunner, and Richard Kagan
8. The Predictive Value of Nutritional and Inflammatory Indices in Pressure
Ulcer Development in Pediatric Burns
   Theresa Mayes, Angela Hardy, Michele Gottschlich, and Richard Kagan
9. The Effect of Healing Touch on Sleep Patterns of Pediatric Burn Patients
   Lois Cone, Michele Gottschlich and Richard Kagan
10. Comparison of Sleep Parameters Obtained by Actigraphy and
Polysomnography during the Rehab Phase Postburn
   Michele Gottschlich, Theresa Mayes, Chris Allgeier, and Richard Kagan
11. Journal Club Promotes Clinical Research, Continuing Education and
Evidence-based Practice    Michele Gottschlich, Laura Fowler and Richard Kagan
12. A Performance Improvement Initiative to Determine the Impact of Increasing
the Time Interval between Changing Centrally Placed Intravascular Catheters
   Alice Neely, Mary Rieman, Angela Hardy and Richard Kagan
13. Distinct Phenotypes of Deep vs. Superficial Keloid Fibroblasts in
Keloid Skin Substitutes Transplanted to Mice
   Dorothy Supp, Jennifer Hahn, Kathryn Glaser, Kevin McFarland, and Steven Boyce

"We Donate, You Win!"

Shane Co. Lets Facebook Community
Decide How To Donate $20,000
Shane Co., the largest privately-held jeweler in the
United States, announced its second “We Donate,
You Win!” sweepstakes, hosted on the company’s
Facebook page. The sweepstakes invites the
public to vote for one of three charities including
Shriners Hospitals for Children. At the sweepstakes’
conclusion, Shane Co. will divide a $20,000
donation among those charities in proportion to the
vote tallies.
All entrants will also be automatically entered to win
one of fi ve $500 Shane Co. gift cards. Entrants can
earn an additional chance to win for each person
whom they refer to the contest, with no limit to the
number of entries earned.
•  The “We Donate, You Win!” sweepstakes will
run until 11.59 p.m. on December 31, 2011.
•  The public is encouraged to enter via www.
facebook.com/ShaneCompany

Zelzah Shriners

Hi

I am so proud of this school its leadership and teachers , not so many years ago ( almost 10 ) I was introduced to this eye opening situation

in the midst  of a rich and prosperous city ( Las Vegas Nevada)  in the  greatest ,most generous country  in the world !

 

I was witness to hungry children (attending school, mostly to get a meal )and devastated adults ( the parents ), Homeless, Hopeless and Destitute.

I Heard the stories of lice and dirt and Teachers having to shower and delice the children  and provide clean cloths for them before they could attends school,

These same children returning to school the next day with dirty and old cloths , when questioned regarding the new cloths , they said that dad sold them.

 I related this story to the brothers of my Lodge and our Shrine nobles and they reacted positively then and continue to this day providing ,money ,cloths Food and other needs to Whitney  schools Children .

So maybe you can understand why I am so proud of the fact  that a community can rally around these children and watch them learn 

not only what the school teaches but more importantly  , what  the community Leaders like Bob Ellis and his Wife Sandy  have taught them and us all , about generosity  and good will !

I now wish we could do something about the other schools in las Vegas that are in the same condition , With the same high percentage of children homeless and destitute.

 

We may never completely accomplish this but it will not be because we did not try , thank you my brothers and this  wonderful community !

There are really countless people , corporations and companies to thank , but one thing you can take to the bank , is that Whitey  School Principle Sherrie Gahn and her wonderful team of teachers , volunteers  and the children have made sure to send thanks and gratitude to all involved !

They have Left an indelible, Positive  foot print in the history of Nevada!

Best regards

 

Joe Alvarado

Holidays get jolt with High Voltage Touring Group show in Folsom

By Eileen Wilson, Telegraph Correspondent

Courtesy Courtesy High Voltage is El Dorado Musical Theatre’s touring group. They will hold a one-night only performance at 7 p.m., Dec. 20, at Three Stages.

It’s the holiday season, and there’s one performance you won’t want to miss.

El Dorado Musical Theatre’s High Voltage Tour Group will light up the stage for one night only, in their annual Holiday Celebration: Cabaret night.

“The Holiday Celebration is a compilation of a lot of songs,” said Debbie Wilson, artistic director and one of the group’s founders.

From haunting strains of “Silent Night,” sung in German, to fun, festive “Mele Kalikimaka,” a Hawaiian Christmas favorite, Wilson said there is something in the show that everyone will love.

“Some of it is really humorous, like ‘The 12 Days After Christmas,’ and some of it is moving, like ‘Tap,’ a story dance about a young boy who is on his own, who wants to spread the Christmas spirit — it’s really lovely,” she said. “Several pieces are a cappella, and some are wonderful songs that you frequently hear, like ‘Carol of the Bells.’”

Jennifer Martin, the troupe’s vocal instructor, looks forward to sharing the season with their audience, as well.

“We are performing some new pieces that have quickly become cast favorites, like ‘African Noel,’ and ‘Feels Like Christmas,’” she said. “The program is quite varied, and includes many a cappella pieces as well as some high energy dance numbers.”

And high energy is nothing knew to this traveling performing group.

“We are a group of 22 people, mostly teens. These performers are our premier touring group — some of the cream of the crop,” Wilson said.

The group recently performed at the California State Capitol Rotunda, and then headed to the Shriners Hospital to bring their Yule time magic to sick children.

“We got to sing at the Rotunda, and also sang ‘Carol of the Bells’ on the Senate floor,” Wilson said.

But it might have been the Shriners’ visit that moved the young performers the most.

“They wheeled kids’ hospital beds to where we were singing,” Wilson said. “The kids and staff kept thanking us, but we were thanking them for letting us share the season.”

For the holiday regulars, there will be repeats of some of the audience’s favorite tunes, while adding several new songs, as well. Wilson said there are some favorites that just beg to be performed every year.

“We have a huge audience; a real mix of people. There seems to be an older generation that has discovered what we do, and they love the old standards. Young kids who come to the show really look up to the performers, and aspire to be performers themselves when they get older,” Wilson said.

One of Wilson’s favorite numbers this year is a rousing tap battle — “a kind of ‘guys versus girls’ number.”

“It’s a difficult tap piece done to music from the Trans Siberian Orchestra,” she said.

While the High Voltage group has performed far afield — on a cruise ship to Mexico, Disneyland, and various Eskaton centers — it may be right here in Folsom and El Dorado Hills that they love to perform best.

“This year the boys will be in uniforms, singing ‘I’ll be Home for Christmas.’ It’s a little remembrance for us all, that we’re fortunate for the things and loved ones’ that we do have,” Wilson said.

Tipsy soup cups a burn 

risk for kids

• View Larger

By  Wesley Lowery

For The Columbus Dispatch

They’r e cheap, salty and, for many college students, a daily diet staple.

But instant noodles are more dangerous than their inviting plastic-foam containers might suggest. In fact, it’s the container that’s the problem.

“They get a lot hotter than people expect them to and are prone to tipping over,” said Dr. David Greenhalgh, chief of burns at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California.

At least once a week, but often more frequently, Greenhalgh said, his hospital treats a child who has reached up to a counter and been burned by spilling instant noodles or instant soup. Often the child is burned on the head.

With a small base and wide top, many of the containers are constructed in a way that make them especially prone to tipping over, Greenhalgh said.

In 2007, he undertook a study of which soup and instant noodle containers are the most apt to spill.

The study — “Instant Cup of Soup: Design Flaws Increase Risk of Burns” — was published in the Journal of Burn Care and Research. It found that some containers spill at the slightest tip, with the most wobbly falling at an angle of just 17.5 degrees.

One of the most popular varieties, Cup Noodles by Nissin, is among the most likely to tip over, falling at just 22 degrees.

“The frequency of spills is directly correlated to how tall and how wide they are,” Greenhalgh said.

Ohio’s hospitals report fewer of the mishaps than the California hospital.

“We see it randomly, definitely not multiple times a week,” said Shelia Giles, burn program coordinator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

“It usually happens when a toddler pulls it over on themselves or a school-age child spills it on their lap,” she said.

Parents need to keep children out of the kitchen and double-check the temperature of any food given to kids, Giles said. Children’s skin is more thin, she said, so they are more likely to be seriously burned.

“We’ve seen noodle burns in the past,” said Vic Gideon, a spokesman for Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland. “It happens every once in a while, but I’m not sure that we’ve had a case in the last year.”

The Shriners Hospitals for Children in Cincinnati sees noodle-related burns a little more often, but still less frequently then the hospitals cited by Greenhalgh.

“We see our fair share of soup and noodle injuries,” said Louise Holker, spokeswoman for the Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati. “But I’d put it at four or five times per month.”

She said, though, that the hospital doesn’t always distinguish between instant soup and noodle burns and any other kitchen burns.

But no matter what the danger — from stove tops to rice cookers to instant soups and noodles — the most important thing is to supervise children.

“We’ve been seeing children with skull burns from kitchens since long before these products came out,” Holker said.

wlowery@dispatch.com