“City Limits” is the name of a publication that the city of Waco, Texas, puts out each month. I’m looking at the August, 2016 issue, but it is similar each month.
We moved to Waco over two years ago and as City Limits informs us, we have been missing out on a lot of wonderful activities. And the publication isn’t all—we can go to the Waco website and find out more.
The big deal this month is “breastfeeding month”, which will be good news to a lot of babies, but bad news for the milk companies. During this month we will learn why breastfeeding is best and why it is “the smartest choice for mothers and their families”. There will be a World Breastfeeding Day Celebration on Saturday August 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. when all the hungry babies in the world will line up, so to speak, for their snack.
But why is breastmilk the best food for babies? Well, in America, and especially in Texas, everyone is expected to have an allergy, but by drinking breastmilk your chances will be “reduced”. Even if you have never had an allergy, some baby you know is certainly allergic to something, so start them immediately on breastmilk. In addition, breastmilk is easily digested, not like some of the stuff you buy on the shelf at your supermarket, so the baby will grow obese quickly and not have to wait until puberty. Of course, obesity could increase the risk of diabetes and cancer, but not if accompanied by breastmilk because it will “transmit mother’s immunities”. We can only hope that the mothers drank (or sucked) breastmilk when they were babies. Nevertheless, just by breastfeeding their baby mothers will be protected against breast and ovarian cancer, get into shape faster and miss fewer work days because of sickness. So everyone wins and the unions are thinking of supplying breastmilk weekly to every working mother.
That should give you some idea of why reading “City Limits” is so important. Of course, if you are a man breastfeeding month will not be of much help and it might be better for you to wait until International Orangutan Day on Friday, August 19. These are our closest relatives and the zoo keeper will be talking about how orangutans are so important to our lives and in saving the planet. That is from 11 am to 2 pm, so mark your calendars.
Then for the “oldies” we can attend the beginner’s genealogy class at the library. It is sponsored by the Central Texas Genealogical Society and the meeting will deal with topics like how to understand and fill out census and immigration records and how to access internet sources. Not available at this time are small swabs and spit cups for your DNA analysis. However, in the near future, this service will be available at the reasonable cost of $750 on weekdays, or $825 on Saturdays. You may learn that you have distant cousins in Greenland or Ethiopia.
Readers are also informed that the city needs volunteer members, otherwise it will not increase in population. Yes, you can actually volunteer to be a member of some city board or commission. No more messy background checks or lengthy files for the CIA or FBI to read. Just let the city know that you will regularly attend the meetings of the board or commission of your choice. The success of the City of Waco depends on your completing the application form on page two and returning it with your water bill payment. And for those who are fussy and want details, visit the City’s website and click “Leadership”, then “Boards/Commissions Listing”.
There are also ”talk shows” coming up this month, but you will need cable to see the people talk. The Housing Department will feature “Home is where our heart is” and the Cooper Foundation will focus on, to everyone’s delight, the community. There is, however, always something for everyone: the Chamber of Commerce, meeting in the old chamber off 5th street, will talk about commerce and the “Giving Connection” will talk about giving. There are also African American and Hispanic chambers, so no one is left out—except perhaps the Asians and Native Americans, if there are any of the latter left in Texas (most were sent to Oklahoma).
That should give you some idea of what is on this month. I didn’t mention International Owl Awareness Day (August 4th), World Lion Day (the 10th), World Elephant Day (the 12th) or World Lizard Day (the 14th). For one thing, I didn’t want to create a lot of attention so that a lot of people might scare or step on the lizards.
The committed owl watchers will have to come out after dark and it is always rough on the owls because people shine flashlights in their eyes. The lions and elephants are strong enough to take the excitement, but take care—an old man, about my age, got trampled by an elephant last year. And elephants never forget!
August, 2016
Waco, Texas