Lakes area news

EMILY -- Emily Charter School's fourth annual Craft and Bake Sale/Flea Market will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 20.

Exhibitors may call the Emily Charter School for an application or for questions. Spaces will be assigned as they are received.

Volunteers needed to help build skate park

PEQUOT LAKES -- The plans are in hand, the funds are secured and the materials have been lined up to construct a skate park near the former Kinzie Candles building in Pequot Lakes.

The building will open as the Lakes Area Community Family Center on Sept. 1.

Volunteers are still needed to help build the skate park. Anyone with basic (or better) building skills is encouraged to join other volunteers to help construct the skate park May 20.

The group will meet at the family center parking lot at 8:30 a.m. May 20 and form teams of adults and young people. Each team will work to build one skateboard ramp. Lunch will be provided on site.

To volunteer, call Pequot Lakes Community Education at 568-9200.

Pequot community family center gets donations

PEQUOT LAKES -- The Lakes Area Family Center in Pequot Lakes has received the following donations in the past two weeks:

Crow Wing Power, $2,500; Timber Bay Construction, $100; Towering Pines Resort, $25; AmericInn, $200; and Marjory Luce, $50. This brings the total of contributions to $21,425.

The center needs to raise $100,000 by Sept. 1 to match funds for the McKnight Foundation grant.

For more information about how to help, call Pequot Lakes Community Education at 568-9200. To send a donation, write a check to the Patriot Foundation, c/o Superintendent James Oraskovich, P.O. Box 368, Pequot Lakes, MN 56472.

The Patriot Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Web overload: Don't believe everything you find

Washington Post

It's an increasingly common sight that makes physicians cringe: A patient armed with a sheaf of printouts wants the doctor to read and discuss the material she found on the Internet.

Because the Web will continue to be an important resource for many patients, here are some suggestions for using the Internet in a way that enhances rather than threatens your relationship with your physician:

-- Consult reputable sites where the information is reviewed by medical experts for accuracy. These tend to be sites sponsored by academic medical centers, specialty medical societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org) or the federal government, which operates a host of sites, including one maintained by the National Cancer Institute (www.nci.nih.gov).

-- Formulate a short list of specific questions based on the information. Don't just go in and thrust a fistful of papers at the doctor and ask him what he thinks. Read the material and think about whether it pertains to you.

-- If your problem is complicated or you want to have a longer discussion about various treatments, make a second appointment.

-- Keep an open mind. Don't assume you've found the answer to your problems hidden in an obscure Web site.