Stories this week at WFU

LOCAL STUDENTS SPEND HOLIDAYS SERVING IN VIETNAM, MEXICO CITY – Three local students, two from Greensboro and one from Mt. Airy, are among nearly 50 Wake Forest students who will be spending their holidays volunteering in foreign countries. Abby Bowman, a senior from Mt. Airy, and Phil Tennant, a senior from Greensboro, will leave Dec. 27 for Mexico City to volunteer in one of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity homes. Michael Diamond, a senior from Greensboro, will be part of a new service trip to Vietnam to work with Peacework Ambassadors. He will leave Dec. 29. To arrange an interview with these students, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237 before Dec. 20.

COLD TEMPS MAKE FOR ACHY KNEES – For sufferers of osteoarthritis of the knee, a drop in temperature often means a drop in mobility. But older adults can minimize the pain with exercise, says Steve Messier, professor of health and exercise science who has researched exercise’s effect on knee osteoarthritis. “Cold weather can make aching joints especially stiff,” he says. In a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, Messier and his colleagues showed that exercise improves mobility in people with osteoarthritis. In a new study started this fall and funded by General Nutrition Centers, he hopes to prove that exercise in combination with the popular supplements glucosamine and chondroitin will produce even better results for those patients. His advice during cold weather: maintain a regular exercise routine, even if you have to move indoors. To arrange an interview with Messier or for more information on his new study, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

WAKE WORKS, EVEN DURING THE HOLIDAY BREAK – While most of the campus community is away for the holiday, some members of the Wake Works staff will be busy staffing holiday parties around the Winston-Salem area. The business, a product of junior Matt Hinson’s experience as a part-time worker at a downtown hotel, provides waiters and waitresses, bartenders and valet parkers for various banquets and private events throughout the city. It has a staff of around 120 students and has grown into a company so successful that it is now franchising itself to other colleges and universities across the country. “We market employees that care about the job they do,” says Hinson, who trains his employees on five-star serving, wine selection and etiquette. For more information on Wake Works holiday schedule or to arrange an interview with Hinson, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

DON’T LET WINTER WINDS STOP YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE – Even though chilly winds and bitter cold may give an initial shudder, there is an advantage to exercising in the cold, says Don Bergey, an exercise coordinator for the Wake Forest Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. “Exercise generates its own body heat, which helps keep you warm,” he says. Bergey works with the nearly 200 patients in the cardiac rehab program on maintaining their exercise routines when the weather turns cold. He suggests wearing layers so as not to overheat, covering extremities with gloves or mittens and a hat, and head out into the wind so it is at your back on the return. For more cold weather exercise tips from Bergey, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu 336-758-5237.

MAKING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AS A FAMILY – Most people think about making individual resolutions as Jan. 1 approaches, but families can also use the turning of the calendar year to set goals. “Like merchants, families should take inventory,” says Samuel T. Gladding, professor of counselor education at Wake Forest. “And, New Year’s is a good time to do it.” Gladding, author of several books on family and group counseling, says family resolutions can be fun and fulfilling in that they help families be proactive rather than reactive. “Many families get caught up in routine — it becomes comfortable, but sometimes it is not growth-promoting,” he says. Have a family meeting on Jan. 1, says Gladding, to take stock of what would make life better for the group. To arrange an interview with Gladding, contact the News Service at 336-758-5237.

TO EAT, OR NOT TO EAT THAT HOLIDAY TREAT – The secret to maintaining healthy eating habits during the holidays lies in the answer to one question, says a Wake Forest nutrition expert. “Ask yourself if it’s worth it,” says Gary Miller, an associate professor of health and exercise science. “Save your calories for the foods and drinks that you really enjoy.” Miller suggests finding fat-free or low-calorie ingredients as substitutes in some holiday foods, like skim milk in place of cream or applesauce in place of cooking oils. “Set limits for yourself before the holiday season begins,” Miller says. “Like allowing one or two specialty sweets per day or limiting your portion size of certain foods and drinks.” Miller also cautions against skipping meals prior to a big party. He says that will only encourage overindulgence on the higher-calorie finger foods. To arrange an interview with Miller, contact Sarah Mansell at manselss@wfu.edu or 336-758-5237.

END OF SEMESTER – The final exams of fall semester will end Dec. 14 for students in the College of Arts and Science, the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy, the Graduate School and the Divinity School. Residence halls close Dec. 15. Exams are already complete for the Wake Forest School of Law and Babcock Graduate School of Management.

NEWS SERVICE CLOSED – The News Service, along with all administrative offices at Wake Forest, will be closed Dec. 23 – Dec. 27 for the holiday break. To reach the News Service during this time, call 336-758-5237 and follow the directions on the voice mail.

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