People of all ages are vulnerable to falls, but with some common sense, most falls can be prevented.

Home Falls Risks

• Clutter, wires and even pets create obstructions on the floor
• Slippery floors, baths and outside walkways
• Improper use of ladders; unsafe reaching for high shelves, light fixtures, etc.
• Darkness leads to falls at night

Tips for Prevention

• Make sure the floors of your home are free of clutter, piles and other obstacles.
• Avoid scatter rugs and highly waxed floors. Don't walk around in stocking feet – wear slippers or other skid-proof footwear, or go barefoot.
• Keep rooms well-lit. Put nightlights in hallways and bathrooms for night visits.
• Install grab bars in bathtubs and showers.
• Store frequently used items in easy-to-reach areas. Use a sturdy step stool with hand rails if you must reach for something in a high place. Keep chairs for sitting.
• Clear fallen leaves, snow and ice from walkways before they become slipping hazards.
• Keep outdoor walkways and steps in good repair.
• Use caution and proper tools for home maintenance; avoid makeshift scaffolding or too-short ladders for hard to reach jobs. Stay off the roof unless you're certain you know what you're doing.

If you are looking for new ways to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet, log on to the You and Your Family website from the University of Illinois Extension at

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/SIfamily/

The site's Food and Nutrition section includes a wide array of fruit & vegetable fact sheets with great tasting recipes. The fact sheets also include nutritional information as well as tips for buying, using and storing the produce. The same website also has health and fitness tips.

All of our county schools can earn money if we, Crawford County HEA ladies, will collect the small symbols on various food items. The Box Tops program keeps getting better! As always, you can find the familiar Box Tops coupon on hundreds of your family's favorite products from General Mills. And now, you can find them on Ziploc® and Kleenex® products, too! Collect them and drop them off at the Extension Office.

• If you have leftover raw vegetables from salad or veggie platters, cut the larger ones into bite-size pieces and put them all in one heavy-duty plastic bag in the freezer. The next time you make soup or stew - already chopped veggies to add. This saves time and money.
• Keep a plastic cereal container handy. When boxes of cereal get low, empty whatever is left into the container. The combinations of cereals create variety and eliminate storing a lot of partially filled boxes. You could also use the container to combine sweetened and unsweetened cereal to help cut down on the amount of sugar you eat...or mix a brand name cereal with its generic counterpart to stretch your cereal dollars.
• Make tuna sandwiches by emptying an undrained 6-oz can of water-packed tuna into a bowl, then stir in about 1/4 cup of quick-cooking oats. Wait about 15 minutes to let the oatmeal soak into the water before adding relish and mayonnaise. This helps stretch the tuna, and the oats add extra nutrition.
• After opening salsa, be sure to refrigerate and use within two months!

A Fall Trip has been planned for Tuesday, October 2. We will tour the Wylie House Museum (built in 1835 it is one of Bloomington, IN's oldest structures) and Heirloom Gardens in Bloomington, IN, shop the many unique stores in Little Nashville, and then onto McCormick's Creek State Park to have dinner overlooking the beautiful fall scenery at the Canyon Inn Restaurant. We will return to Robinson at approximately 9 p.m. The cost of the trip is $45.00 which includes bus travel, snacks on bus, tour and dinner/tax/ & gratuity. Please make checks payable to HEA. Reservations will ONLY be taken with MONEY at the U of I Extension office. No refunds.

So, let's get geared up for a fun day!

Trip Itinerary: (Illinois times)

6:30 a.m. – Leave the Robinson Community Center parking lot

9:00 a.m. – Tour Wylie House Museum and Heirloom Gardens in Bloomington, IN

10:15 a.m. – Leave for Nashville, IN

11-4:30 – Lunch is on your own and visit all the unique shops!

4:30 p.m. – Leave for Canyon Inn at the beautiful McCormick's Creek State Park

5:30 p.m. – Buffet dinner which includes: soups, 3 meats, vegetables, potato, rolls and dessert. Plus, coffee, tea or lemonade.

6:45 p.m. – Return trip to Robinson

9:10 p.m. – Arrive back in Robinson

APRICOT JAM -Sent in by Marion Livingston

Buy some dried apricots. Put them in a big fruit jar. Pour boiling water over them and let sit overnight. Remember, they will swell, so only fill the jar half of fruit.

The next day put these apricots in the refrigerator. Let them sit one more day.

By then they will have become swollen and juicy. Pour the water off, put the apricots, as is, into your blender (or electric mixer) and give them a whirl. At this time one may add a few spoons of sugar or sugar substitute. You will come out with the thickest, most exciting jam you have ever tasted! *Note: If you would like a wee bit of sour taste, thin slice four or five slivers of fresh lemon and put in the jar before pouring the boiling water over the fruit. This is also yummy made with dried pears and peaches. Plus, you can put this jam on waffles and pancakes!

ENGLISH TOFFEE

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

3 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Boil these ingredients to 300° degrees stirring constantly. Pour into buttered 9x9 pan. Cool slightly and lay milk chocolate bars (6) on top. Let set until chocolate softens, then spread over top. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Delicious!!!!! – LaDonna Harris

LEMONADE SLUSH

2/3 cup lemonade concentrate, partially thawed

1 cup milk

2/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Yellow food coloring, optional

12 ice cubes, crushed

In a blender, combine lemonade concentrate, milk, water, vanilla and food coloring if desired; cover and process until blended. While processing, slowly add crushed ice. Process until slushy. Serve immediately.

TENNESSEE CRAB CRESCENTS

1 (8 oz.) crab meat, drained and flaked
1 (6 oz.) water chestnuts, drained/chopped
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. salt
1 can crescent rolls

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except rolls.Separate rolls into 8 triangles. Spoon about 2 tablespoons crab mixture into each triangle.Roll up, starting at the shortest side and roll toward longest side.Bake 375° for 15-18 minutes.Serve hot.Crescent rolls may be cut in half, lengthwise, before adding crab and before being rolled, to make smaller appetizers.

BAKED CATFISH PARMESAN

6 skinned catfish filets
1 cup dry bread crumbs (plain, whole wheat or Italian)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
Clean, wash and pat fish dry. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, paprika, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Dip catfish in melted butter and roll in crumb mixture. Arrange fish on a well greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375° for about 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

SHERBERT DESSERT

1/2 gallon orange sherbet or flavor of your choice, softened
1 package (10 oz.) frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
Place the sherbet in a large bowl; stir in raspberries and bananas. Freeze until firm.
Editor's Note: Rainbow sherbet is not recommended for this recipe.
Yield: 18 servings.