HOME-SCHOOLERS TALK A GOOD GAM

By Sandra J. Pennecke

Correspondent

KEMPSVILLE

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The best of the best from across the country gathered at Regent University the week of June 7 to do what they do best - talk.

Five hundred home-schooled high school students from 38 states came to town to take part in the National Championship Speech and Debate Tournament. They competed in the event sponsored by the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association.

According to league President Mike Larimer, this was the 13th national championship. Four of Larimer's children participate in debate and speech, and two did well enough to come to the nationals from New Mexico.

"There are leagues for public and private schools, and this league was created to give home-schoolers the same opportunity," Larimer said.

The five-day event has 10 speech categories, including persuasive speech, humorous and thematic interpretation, and extemporaneous and impromptu speaking. There are two styles of debate: team policy and Lincoln-Douglas.

Renee Jordan of the Little Creek area served as tournament coordinator, which involved organizing details relating to the participating 14- through 18-year-old home-schoolers, their parents, community volunteer judges and more.

"We use community judges, which is unique, and that enables the students to learn to communicate in a conversational way to a broad spectrum of audience members," Jordan said.

Her 17-year-old daughter, Rachel, has been involved in the league for the past four years. A graduating senior, Rachel said the skills she's learned from this extracurricular activity will carry with her throughout her life.

Rachel focused on the oratory and persuasive speeches because she likes to choose her topic.

"I spoke about organ donation," Rachel said, recalling a family friend who died at age 11 after waiting for an organ transplant.

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Jordan stressed that the social aspect of the activity is also a benefit to the home-school community. That's one thing that Conor McBride of Chesapeake likes about the league.

"I've made long-lasting friendships," said Conor, 16. "I've met friends from California and Massachusetts. It's a great opportunity for social interaction."

Daniel Sileo of Courthouse Estates hadn't planned to join the league and was pleasantly surprised when he made it to the national competition. Daniel, 17, gave extemporaneous speeches on the Walmart lawsuits, Somali pirates and iPad competitors.

Conor advanced to the semifinals and was well prepared with a bin packed full of several months' worth of information printed from the Internet on every topic imaginable.

"We try to have a working knowledge of everything prior to the event," Conor said. "Speech and debate is so beneficial. It's not dry or boring - it's exciting."

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Rachel summed up perhaps the biggest lesson learned by the participants, one that can't be found in textbooks or online.

"I've learned to handle both victory and defeat in a graceful and loving way."

Sandra J. Pennecke,

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Home tour a ride in the park f

Home tour a ride in the park for pro racer Tuft

by Al Campbell

VANCOUVER, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Canada's up-and-coming cyclist got a close-up look and lesson on what it takes to be among the world's best riders when Pro Tour regular Svien Tuft won the Tour de White Rock's "maximum collision" Replica watches race Saturday in advance of the road race final.

Racing on a one-kilometer square road course in the Vancouver suburb city on the Canada-U.S. border, the 33-year-old Tuft who resides in nearby Langley completed the 60-kilometer circuit in 1:08:24, 22 seconds ahead of runner-up Jamie Sparling. Christian Meier, who races with Tuft for the Garmin-Transition team in Europe, was third, 26 seconds back.

National champion Tuft who finished seventh in the time trials at the 2008 Bejiing Olympic Games, the highest ever finish by a Canadian, lapped most of the field in White Rock, using the race as a tune-up before he returns to Europe at the end of the month.

During the peak of the race when he was more than a half lap ahead of the field, Tuft, the 2007 US Open champion, demonstrated his consistency by posting a string of consecutive laps each within one-tenth of a second of each other.

"I just came out here to give it everything and it's that kind of course. It's really difficult. There were times on the backstretch where you are wondering 'how many time can I do this?' It was a great night," he said.

For Tuft who has pulled off such feats as cycling from Vancouver to Alaska and back, a round-trip journey of nearly 6,000 kilometers, as well as competing in the 3,485 kilometer Giro d' Italia in May, the 60 kilometer White Rock race was a relative ride in the park.

"On a difficult course like this it's one where you commit 100 per cent and you get a gap and you can drive it. When you get that initial bit it hurts so bad, but you have to be willing to put 100 per cent in. And once you snap it, once you crack the group, then it's over. You have to settle in a rhythm that you are capable of holding. I mean it's tough because that back stretch is hard and you just have to every time just stay concentrated, stay focused and just keep on top of that gear or else you crack.

"It's very concentrated this effort in this hour. I will never say it is easy but there are days when you feel like that in the Giro (in Italy) for six hours. So mentally it just kind of prepares you to handle a lot more."

With John Tolkamp in attendance for the race, the president of the Canadian Cycling Association said events such as the Tour de White Rock and last week's Tour de Delta in nearby Ladner, the two races that make up "BC Superweek", provided a valuable opportunity for amateur racers to gauge their ability against the pros.

Most the riders in the three-day tour, which involves the hilltop, maximum collision and the road race stages, are amateurs with a handful of professionals competing for a 15,000 Canadian dollar prize purse.

"This type of a race actually sits more on the development side of things. We have some phenomenal pros out here tonight Replica watches but it's really the local amateurs, the amateur teams that come out. These types of races give them the chance to race against the pros," he said.

"It is also a great way for the up-and-coming talent to get identified. A lot of guys who have done well here, or women who have done well here have gone on
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Mother Nature takes bite out o

By Pam Sohn

Weather may have carved a notch in Tennessee's pumpkin crop this year, but it didn't hurt pumpkin sizes, according to local growers.

"This year we had to spray extra (to preserve the crop) because of so much rain, but we've got some great-size pumpkins," said Judy Cooper, daughter of Maw Hughes of Hughes Farm on Flat Top Mountain between Soddy-Daisy and Dunlap, Tenn.

Lisa Roberson, with R&R Kuntry Pumpkin Center in Pikeville, Tenn., said the late, heavy rains took about half of her crop -- rotting the would-be jack-o'-lanterns in the field -- but didn't affect the sizes of those left.

"We've got jack-o'-lantern sizes up to 60 pounds and prize winners in the 80- to 100-pound size," she said.

Tom Womack, spokesman for Chanel Cambon the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, said Tennessee ranked 12th in the nation for growing pumpkins in 2007, the most recent census year.

During that year, there were 454 farms growing pumpkins nationally, 266 of them in Tennessee. The Tennessee farms harvested pumpkins from 2,385 acres, but those numbers were down from 2002 when 332 farms harvested 3,742 acres of pumpkins, Mr. Womack said.

Pumpkin census counts are taken every five years, he said.

Hamilton County Extension Agent Tom Stebbins said pumpkin growing in Tennessee still contributes about $5 million replica gucci to the state's economy each year.

"Each acre produces 800 to 1,200 pumpkins," Mr. Stebbins said.

The pumpkins, used as much for autumn decoration as for food, also help feed Tennessee's growing agri-entertainment and agri-tourism businesses.

This year, officials with Rock City's Enchanted MAiZE purchased 400 Jack B Little Pumpkins for pumpkin painting at the maze and 130 pumpkins for the Rock City park, spokeswoman Meagan Jolley said.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture marketing specialist Rob Beets said Tennessee pumpkin numbers are down, in part, because farmers in recent years had trouble with stem rot and other diseases.

"And there was a lot of competition, so growers were not getting good return on their crop," he said.

Ms. Cooper planted 12 acres of pumpkins on her Soddy-Daisy farm this year, compared with 30 to 40 acres in previous years. She grew pumpkins this year mostly just for the regional stands, she said.

PICK THE RIGHT PUMPKIN

Size and shape have no bearing on how long a pumpkin will last but other things will.

Look for:

* Stems that are still green and firmly attached.

* Firm and unwithered pumpkins with no soft spots. A touch of green or warts are fine.

Source: Tennessee Department of Agriculture

GROWERS

* R&R Kuntry Pumpkin Center

Lisa Roberson

Pikeville, Tenn.

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423-447-6352

* Hughes Farms

Judy Cooper

Jones Gap Road,

Soddy-Daisy

423-3
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Mother leads tributes to Scott

The mother of a Scottish woman who died in a crash in New York has paid tribute to her "brilliant girl".

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Aileen McKay-Dalton, who was originally from Callander in Stirlingshire, died in a crash in Brooklyn, New York, on July 8.

The 40-year-old was living in New York after moving from the UK.

The mother-of-three was riding her Vespa scooter when she was involved in the collision.

Her mother Marion McKay, 81, from Callander, said: "She was a brilliant girl for bringing people together.

"She was like a flash of brilliant light. She had extraordinary energy and a capacity to make people laugh, even in sad situations.

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"There has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief in Brooklyn, where she lived."

McKay-Dalton's body was brought back to Scotland yesterday.

Her mother said she hoped she would be buried next to her father in a plot of land in Port of Monteith, Stirlingshire.

Earlier this month her husband, Michael Dalton, told the New York Daily News website: "She was everything. It's just so horrible."

A Facebook page has also been set up to pay tribute to McKay- Dalton, who attended McLaren High School in Callander.

Kate Via wrote on the tribute site: "I only knew her in my two years at McLaren High School and she was always energetic, friendly, and spirited.

"I was thrilled to hear she had moved to New York as I knew that city would fit her style ... I am tremendously saddened to hear of her passing.

"My heart goes out to Mike, the kids, her Scottish family and her family here in the US."

Elizabeth Davison wrote: "Aileen was one in a million. It's hard to believe that it's 20 years since I first met this crazy, wonderful, funny, glorious woman one night at Imperial College. And even harder to believe that she has gone.

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"Aileen showed me some fun times over the years - many, many, many happy memories.

"I loved her and will miss her dreadfully. Our crazy girl became a wonderful wife and amazing mother. She will live on through her children."

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