Through mid-September, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital (ALMH) is providing free colorectal cancer screening kits and lab testing to assist you in identifying indicators of possible cancer in the colon or rectum. Colorectal cancer is one of the most curable of all cancers when it is detected early and treated promptly.

Because colorectal cancer develops over a period of time, it is possible to detect it by testing stool samples long before physical symptoms appear. The majority of people who develop colorectal cancer are over age 50. Over 75 percent of all cases can be cured, and patients can resume normal lives. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly stool blood tests after the age of 50.

The simple at-home test kit provided by ALMH will help the laboratory check your stool samples for hidden blood, which can be a sign of cancer or other internal disorders. The kit lists dietary suggestions of what to eat and what to avoid two days prior to the test. Following these few suggestions can reduce the chances of a "false positive" test result and increase probability of a more accurate test. The kit also provides all materials and directions needed for collecting stool samples and preparing slides for testing, and includes a pre-addressed envelope to mail the sample and information back to the ALMH lab. The lab will notify you of your results within two weeks after receiving the test. It is important to remember that the screening does not provide a complete cancer detection examination. Regardless of test results, you should see your physician whenever you experience changes in your bowel habits.

To take advantage of this opportunity, all tests must be received at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital no later than Sept. 15.

Test kits are available at local physician offices, pharmacies, senior living centers, the Logan County Health Department, and the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Laboratory. In rural locations it is also available on the Rural Health Partnership’s mobile health unit. You may pick up your free kit at the following locations:

Abe Lincoln Pharmacy

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Laboratory

The Christian Village

CVS Pharmacy

Family Medical Center

Friendship Manor

Graue Pharmacy

Lincoln Health Care Specialists (Drs. Carroll, Harmon, Sagins and Sielaff)

Logan County Health Department

Logan County Highrise

Maple Ridge Retirement Center

Medicap Pharmacy

Oasis Senior Center

Wal-Mart Pharmacy

Sherman’s Pharmacy

Mobile health unit of Rural Health Partnership

Family Medical Center

Mason City Pharmacy

Dr. Borgerson’s office

Dr. Schmidt’s office

The Mount Pulaski Pharmacy

Mobile health unit of Rural Health Partnership

In Beason, Broadwell, Chestnut, Cornland, Elkhart, Emden, Greenview, Hartsburg, Lake Fork, Latham, Middletown, New Holland and San Jose, kits are available on the Rural Health Partnership’s mobile health unit.

The San Jose Police Committee and San Jose Police Department will be sponsoring a "Get to Know Your Neighbor" day on Sunday, Aug. 27, from 2 until 6:30 p.m. The event will be held at the playground and ball field north of the old high school. This invitation is for Delavan, Green Valley, Mason City, Emden, New Holland, Hartsburg and Easton, and any other neighboring towns are welcome.

The committee will host a butterfly pork chop and chicken breast dinner with potato salad, baked beans and more. Dinner tickets are $5 for adults and $2.50 for children, with youngsters under age 7 eating free.

There will be raffles for a new camping package valued at $200; gift certificates from Dixon Fisheries, San Jose Craft Co-op and others; games and prizes for the children; music; crafts booth; a D.A.R.E. program; and more.

All proceeds will go toward the general fund for the Police Department. Donations are welcome.

People wishing to set up a booth are asked to contact Ray Satchfield at the Village Hall, 247-3332. Please leave your name and phone number by Aug. 23.

A rain date is to be announced.

"So, come one, come all and meet your neighbors," the committee says. "Join us for a fun-filled day."

[San Jose Police Committee and Police Department]

Library's announces annual book sale

The Lincoln Public Library District will have its annual book sale during the 2000 Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival. The schedule for the book sale will be Saturday, Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale will be in the Pegram Community Room in the Carnegie building at 725 Pekin St. In addition to the usual assortment of books, magazines, records and other items, the sale will feature books weeded from the library’s collection. These items will include mysteries, westerns, science fiction, general fiction and children’s books. The sale will be a buck-a-bag sale with some specially priced items. For more information contact the library at 217-732-8878.

Logan County Red Cross will be having class sessions Aug. 23 and 24 in Community First Aid and Safety. This class will be from 6 to 10 p.m. the first evening and will be completed on the following evening, with hours from 5 until 10 p.m. It will cover adult CPR, infant and child CPR, and first aid.

On Saturday, Aug. 26, a CPR Challenge class will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

These classes will be at 125 S. Kickapoo St. For further information or to preregister, you may come in any weekday from noon to 4 p.m. You may also call 732-2134.

Dr. Dru Hauter will be the guest lecturer at a combined meeting of the Congestive Heart Failure and Diabetes support groups of Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital (ALMH) on Monday, Aug. 21, at 6:30 p.m. in Conference Room A at ALMH.

Dr. Hauter will address physical changes in congestive heart failure and diabetes, and he will open the discussion to questions from attendees. The lecture is open to anyone interested in or suffering from congestive heart failure or diabetes.

For more information about the event or the support groups, please call ALMH at 217-732-2161, ext. 443.

University of Illinois Extension in Logan County will be sponsoring a teleconference program called "Investing Beyond CDs to Achieve Your Long-Term Goals." This program will focus on various categories of investments including mutual funds and how you can use these investments to reach your goals. This teleconference will allow you to receive unbiased, research-based information from certified financial planners who are not selling any investment products.

The teleconference is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Extension Office, now located at 980 N. Postville Dr. on the northwest corner of the Logan County Fairgrounds. To register to attend, please call the Logan County Unit at 732-8289 by Monday, Aug. 21.

Complete contest information is below.

Contest deadline: In-hand by Sept. 15.