• The Holy Roller Challenge
• Core Values Corner
• Dangers of Lead Poisoning
• Lead Training Course Offered
  

Fresh from the Garden
This recipe comes straight from Pathways' cookbook, a collection of favorites from Pathways' staff, volunteers and friends. To order a copy, contact us at 804-862-1104 ext. 311:

Overnight Vegetable Lasagna
by Linda Williams, Classroom Instructor

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups tomato sauce
½ cup dry red wine
1 (14-oz.) can Italian-style tomatoes
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups ricotta (or cottage) cheese
½ cup Asiago cheese, shredded
½ cup Italian (flat-leafed) parsley, chopped
1 (9-oz.) pkg. whole grain lasagna pasta
4 cups zucchini, sliced (about 4 medium)
2 cups provolone cheese, shredded
¼ cup Locatelli pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until softened; add sauce, wine, tomatoes and olives. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes. Combine eggs, ricotta, Asiago, parsley, salt and pepper (always!). Cover bottom of a lightly oiled 9 x 13-inch dish with sauce; cover with half of pasta, then zucchini, then egg-cheese mixture. Sprinkle with half of provolone. Repeat layering and cover final layer of provolone with sauce and sprinkle Locatelli (my favorite hard cheese). Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate eight hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350F and bake, covered, for 1½ hours. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Note: Freezes well. Just stick it in the freezer after assembling and when you want to serve it, put it in the refrigerator to defrost.

Core Values Corner:
Looks Can be Deceiving

• We are committed to recognizing and responding to the value of the human spirit in every person.

Lead paint was the premier paint, expensive paint, guaranteed to last so homeowners with money bought it and painted with pride. In Petersburg, over 75% of the homes were constructed prior to 1978 when lead paint was sold and are therefore at risk for posing a lead hazard to the occupants. Petersburg is filled with large, beautiful old homes. Because the homes were originally expensive, the earlier owners were well-to-do and could afford lead paint, but now that paint is peeling and flaking creating lead dust to make a poisonous snack for the children.

At Pathways, we are committed to recognizing and responding to the value of the human spirit in every person, including children. We believe children should have safe and healthy homes and daycare centers in which to play and live. We believe their minds are for learning, not poisoning. So in partnership with VA Dept. of Housing and Community Development and Petersburg Department of Health we have made 63 homes and daycare centers lead safe for pre-school children and their families or care providers.

We test the structure, and if found to be leaded, we temporarily relocate the family and their belongings, make the home lead safe in partnership with local contractors through the reduction of  lead hazards, and then return the family and belongings back to their home once it is tested safe by a third party. Reduction measures may include replacement of doors, windows, and or trim; containment by special sealants and paints; replacement of flooring and replacement of outside siding or structural materials.

            Pathways student learning lead safe practices

Dealing with lead paint hazards and reducing lead poisoning in children is a challenge with so many players and no simple and cheap solutions. The earlier homeowners thought they were doing a good thing in painting their houses with lead paint. They had no idea their efforts would lead to harming children and eventually the larger community. We are committed to finding solutions that work for restoring life and vitality to our children and to our community.

The Holy Roller Challenge

I know the road by heart, every hill, every turn, every bumpy stretch, even with my eyes closed. Every evening, weather permitting, my husband and I exchange our work attire for spandex and funny shoes before mounting our two-seater bike and hitting the road in a race against the setting sun. We are riding as part of the Holy Rollers from Lynchburg to Norfolk, Virginia, 220 miles next month to raise money for projects in Mozambique, Brazil, and our own Pathways in Petersburg.

Ten years ago we rode from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Washington, D.C. as part of a benefit. The first night after 100+ miles on the bike, my legs were protesting. I realized that riding frequent 20 mile stints was not enough. Last year, after a multi-year hiatus from the bicycle, my husband and I ventured a one-day century as a benefit ride. That day with no training, we were the last ones to finish, but we made it and with a tremendous price. I had tendonitis for months, great pain in climbing stairs. So, this time with youth no longer on our side, we decided to train, well, as best we can.

Yesterday as we climbed the curvy hillside and soared down the opposite slope I thought of the difference this event makes for Pathways: healthier bodies and environment burning calories rather than fossil fuel, healthier bodies and environment for children in homes made lead safe through our programs, healthier bodies and environment for community residents in our urban gardening project, healthier bodies and environment for our youth leaving behind drugs and violence for a brighter tomorrow.

This newsletter is all about health, particularly healthy homes and daycare centers for healthy children free of leaded paint hazards. We hope you will learn something new, and we hope you will consider a pledge to the Holy Rollers as we strive to bring health in so many ways to so many folk. So, dust off that bicycle seat and join us in building lives and awakening hope on this journey called life. www.holyroller.us

Pathways' Holy Rollers, from Left to Right:

Brandon Jones, Dwala Ferrell, Mike Watts, Dan Gagnon, Frank Brown, and Walt Purcell

Children are active explorers, crawling, climbing, digging, licking, pulling, squeezing, and bringing us their newfound treasures. These same children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning. Windows and doors have friction surfaces that produce dust when they are opened and closed leaving nearby surfaces coated in lead dust for children to find. Children lick their dust covered hands as part of their daily routine ingesting lead particles that then poison their minds and bodies. Many of us have heard for years of the dangers to children of lead poisoning, but most parents do not believe it could happen to their child. Lead can affect children’s brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems.

Do you live in a house that was built before 1978? Does your child like to stand and look out the window or crawl beneath the window? Are your windows and doors painted? Is the paint on the interior or exterior of your house chipping and flaking? If you answered yes to most of these questions, you could have lead-based paint hazards in your home. If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then you probably have lead-based paint hazards in your home.

If your child is under six years of age and likes to put non-food items (toys, small objects, crayons, etc.) in his/her mouth and your house was built before 1978, please have your child tested for lead poisoning. For more information on testing, contact your private physician or local health department. If you live in Petersburg and would like your home tested for lead-based paint, Pathways may be able to assist you. Contact David Hamler at 862-1104 x 331.

Before Lead Hazard Reduction                    After Lead Hazard Reduction

Lead Training Course Offered

Be sure to check our website for future training opportunities and other events.

Watch Pathways' Lead Safe Coordinator, David Hamler, on CBS 6 News:

News Clip 1

News Clip 2

Your trash is our treasure! In this section, we will highlight a few ways you can contribute to Pathways without opening your checkbook (though you're still welcome to):

Donate your car or truck - We are especially in need of a running truck with a trailor hitch to transport construction supplies and equipment to and from the work site.

Turn in your Ukrop's Golden Gift Certificate - You can drop off or mail your certificate to our operational center at:

1200 W. Washington St., Petersburg, VA 23803

Hurry! The deadline to turn in certificates is June 13, 2009

Send us you empty ink and toner cartridges - By letting us recycle your used-up printer cartridges, you get the added bonus of supporting Pathways and protecting the environment at the same time!