LaBelle's Elnora Funkhouser - Sewing For Babies

LABELLE, FL. -- Sewing for the babies in our community. That’s what Elnora Funkhouser does almost every week in LaBelle.

Mrs. Funkhouser sews swaddling blankets for the Hendry County Health Department’s Healthy Families program for new parents and their bundles of joy. 

(Photo: Judy Paskvan and Elnora Funkhouser)

Some of the materials are provided from funding through the United Way as well as other sources.

Mrs. Funkhouser has been sewing since she was a teenager and really enjoys it. She has sewn about 50 swaddling blankets so far. She never requested nor expected any kind of reward or recognition for her sewing talents, but Judy Paskvan, Program Manager at the Hendry County Health Department decided that Mrs. Funkhouser needed to know how much she is appreciated.

Mrs. Funkhouser has lived in LaBelle for about 4 years. She moved here from Missouri. She has one daughter that lives in Lehigh and three other children that still live in Missouri. She has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Funkhouser stated “I wish I had learned swaddling when I was a young mother.”

Staff members from the Healthy Families Program distribute the swaddling blankets to parents who are registered in their program and teach these new parents how to swaddle their babies. Each blanket is measured 41 inches by 41 inches so that the baby can be properly swaddled.

When babies are in the womb they are in a very small, cozy and secure place. However, upon birth they no longer have a small confined place in which to live but rather a big open world that can be intimidating. Swaddling a baby is like giving them back the security of being in the womb all over again.

For the first few months of a babies’ life, the swaddling can keep babies arms and legs confined to help reduce the jerk reflex. It makes it so much easier to lay a napping baby down when they are all wrapped up.

-submitted by Hendry-Glades Health Department

Hendry Obituary - Christy Jacobs

Christy Ann Jacobs, age 38, of Clewiston passed away Monday, January 30, 2012 at Hospice of Palm Beach County of Atlantis, FL. 

Christy was born November 13, 1973 in Miami, FL. She is the daughter of Henry M. Gibbs and Mary Ida (Swisher) Ansley.

She is survived by her husband: L.C.Jacobs, Jr., three sons: Lyle Gibbs, Christopher Jacobs, Jeremy Jacobs; her father Henry M. Gibbs and mother Mary Ida (Swisher) Ansley; two brothers: Jonathan Gibbs and Cote Gibbs; mother in law, Bevelon Jacobs.

Zuckerberg Wants You To Gamble On Facebook Stock

Founder May Make As Much At 24 Billion?

Facebook, a Palo Alto, Californina company has filed for a public offering of stock, and 27-year old Mark Zuckerberg, son of a New York dentist and psychiatrist, certainly is hoping the press hype will sell lots of newly issued stock.

Press reports say the company may be worth 100 billion. Let's take a look at that.

While the company has a reported sales number of  $3.7 billion last year, the net income would be a fraction of that. Take a number of say, one billion net and figure a prudent investor would be more than satisfied with a 10 percent net return. The value of the company would therefore be about 10 billion.

A less greedy investor might want a five percent return, thus valuing the company at only 5 billion.

An estimated 85% of company revenue is from ads. Some analysts say the ad revenue might remain static, as it's banner ads have to compete against Google's more effective search ads.

The company also shares income from Zynga's games, including FarmVille and CityVille. Zynga has a 2010 exclusive contract to remain on Facebook for five years, keeping about 70% of revenue, 30% going to Facebook.

Zynga stock started trading on NASDAQ December 16, 2011 at $10 a share and bombed the first day, trading down 5%. It's all time low hit $8.45 January 6th, 2012.

Zuckerberg owns about 24% of Facebook, the stock ticker symbol "FB" will be assigned to the stock, and he has, according to it's S1 filing, a number of side deals with "certain stockholders." Presumably made to be sure he'll be in control of the company after stock is sold to the public.

Regulators will take several months to look over the company's filing before anyone can actually buy stock.

Zuckerberg may be hoping for a great 28th birthday this year. On May 14th he may well be a Facebook stock multi-billionaire.

Oh, and Facebook's 8th birthday: February 4th. It began in Zuckerberg's Harvard dorm room.

Happy Birthday Mark and FB.

Hendry Community Volunteer - Myra Johnson

From The Firehouse Community Theatre's "The Dalmatian Review"

LABELLE, FL. -- Myra Johnson is beginning her second term on the LaBelle's Firehouse Community Theatre Board of Directors.  

She also is the Hendry County Planning and Zoning Coordinator, the Historian of the American Legion in LaBelle and her favorite job is being the mother of "4 amazing kids", Alyssa, Bryce, Corbyn and Novie.

Myra graduated from Immokalee High School, where she took drama classes. After graduation she enlisted in the Navy for 9 years, 2 months and 20 days and after traveling with the Navy to places such as Spain, Italy, Greece, and Israel (to name a few), and then she moved back to LaBelle in 2001, because “I missed the small town life.”

Myra got involved in community theater when she was stationed in Pensacola where she starred in "The Best Little Whore House in Texas" at the Stage Crafters Community Theater in Fort Walton Beach. Then, in 2005 Corbyn wanted to participate in the Firehouse Children's Summer Theatre Program, where she worked back stage with the kids. 

Two years later, looking to get “some alone time”, She auditioned for "I'll Be Back Before Midnight". Since then, her "alone" time has turned into family time, since everyone with the exception of her husband Rich participate in the theatre.

TV Producer Looking For Pregnant Moms & Daughters

Expectant Mothers & Daughters Wanted For Reality Show
LABELLE, FL. -- "Are you currently pregnant and your DAUGHTER is ALSO expecting?!" reads a press release received today.

"If this is your unique situation, Vh1 and Ellen Rakieten Entertainment want to document your lives!"  

The proposed docu-series will follow a mother and daughter who are pregnant at the same time through childbirth and everything in between says the production company. 

Casting director Sandra Philippeaux and Casting Producer Angela Harmon are looking for reality show participants all over the country, including rural Hendry and Glades county.

If both you and your daughter are outgoing and open to sharing your stories and are at least 18 years of age, contact the casting team at: mothersanddaughtersExpecting@gmail.com.