Fifteenth Annual South High Alumni Spaghetti Dinner Saturday, March 20
To Benefit South High School Scholarship program and more

Fifteenth Annual South High Alumni Spaghetti Dinner
Saturday, March 20, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Sokol Hall South Omaha (located at 21st & U Street) to benefit the South High School scholarship program, along with academic, drama and sports programs etc.

Tickets are $7.50 per person available at the door or through the Alumni Office at 738-9493.
Price includes: Spaghetti & sauce, meatball or sausage, salad, bread, dessert and coffee.
Pop, beer and other drinks are available for a cost at the bar. Carry out also available.
The event includes a raffle and silent auction.

All funds raised from the event benefit the South High School scholarship program, academic, drama and sports programs and other.

Other key South High School Alumni events throughout the year:

Bowling Shootout - March 20, 2010 at Mockingbird Lanes, Check in begins at noon,
Bowling starts at 1:00 pm

Poker Run - May 15, 2010 Starts at J Birds – 9725 Giles Rd – LaVista. Sign in is at 10:30 am departure is at 12 noon

Golf Tournament -July 18, 2010 at Tregaron Gold Course. Shotgun start at 7:30 am
Packer Power for Education Fundraiser – October 22, 2010 at UNO Alumni Center. This year’s theme will be Jewels & Tools; Etc

South High Alumni Association was founded in 1992 and includes approximately 6000 members and 24 Board members. A newsletter goes out twice a year to around 23,000 alumni and supporters. The funds the alumni association raises from the spaghetti feed and other events goes for scholarships (nearly $20,000 annually) and other contributions such as teacher grants, athletic functions & equipment, the drama department, field trips to Washington D.C., London and also a culinary department, Project Omaha and the new sports facility Collin Field.

In connection with the National Epilepsy Walk in Washington, DC, on March 27th, 2010, communities all over the United States will be holding walks to advocate for people with seizures to fully participate in all life experiences. The walk aims to improve how people with epilepsy are perceived, accepted and valued by society; and to raise funds for research for a cure. Volunteers and supporters will be front and center, leading the way for the Omaha, Nebraska walk which will take place Saturday, March 27, 2010, registration starting at 8:30am and walk from 9-11am, at Shadow Lake Towne Center in Papillion, NE. There will be activities on site for kids including balloon makers, face painting, and every walker will be entered into a drawing to take place during the walk.

The Epilepsy Foundation of America which serves every state in the US was originally made up of 3 local organizations, one being the American Epilepsy Federation, Inc. The gentleman who started that organization 50 years ago still lives in Omaha, NE today with his wife. We will be presenting William B. Woodruff, Esq. and Marilyn Woodruff with a special plaque at the walk in honor of their commitment to epilepsy and their courage, for if they had not taken that first step by creating a Nebraska organization to help those living with Epilepsy, the National Epilepsy Foundation of America we know today would not be.

If an individual is unable to actually walk, it is still possible to support Nebraska and the Epilepsy Foundation by being a "Virtual Walker." By going to the website http://www.walkforepilepsy.org and searching for team "Nebraskans Advocating for Epilepsy -Omaha " anyone can join in the biggest national event ever for Epilepsy.

The Nebraska Brain Injury Association will also be represented at this walk and will have an informational booth available to those interested in becoming more involved in the brain injury work that is being done in Nebraska. March is National Brain Injury Awareness month and Nebraska is holding their Brain Injury Conference March 25-26.

For additional information on the Epilepsy Walk, contact Stacey Doty at sdoty77@hotmail.com call 402-850-7680 or http://efa.convio.net/goto/Omaha

For additional information on our Presenting Sponsor- Midwest Regional Epilepsy Associates go to www.midwestepilepsy.com or call 402-552-2270.

For additional information on our Gold Sponsor - Cyberonics, Inc. go to www.cyberonics/en.com or call 816-214-1217.

For additional information on our Gold Sponsor - Lundbeck's Sabril Anti Seizure Medication go to http://www.lundbeckinc.com/usa/products/cns/sabril/default.asp or call 866-337-6996.

To support our Gold Sponsor Team "The Keen Family" go to http://efa.convio.net/site/TR/Walk/walk?team_id=18310&pg=team&fr_id=1870

For additional information on our Silver Sponsor - Sac Federal Credit Union go to www.sacfcu.com or call 402-292-8000.

For additional information on our Silver Sponsor - Childrens Hospital & Medical Center go to www.childrensomaha.org or call 800-833-3100.

For additional information on Brain Injury Awareness Month go to http://www.braininjury.ne.gov/ or Hotline for Disabilities Services 800 - 742 - 7594.

For more information on the Epilepsy Foundation go to http://www.epilepsyheartland.org or call 1-800-221-2689.

Multiple Sclerosis – Comprehensive Care Makes a Difference

Omaha, Neb. – Angela Molden became involved with UNMC Physicians’ MS clinic and the MS Society Nebraska chapter a few years after she was diagnosed with MS. When she was first diagnosed with MS, Angela Molden was disheartened with the care she received. Molden was looking for ways to better manage her disease—something she finally found at UNMC Physicians.

As a center for comprehensive care, UNMC Physicians’ MS Clinic focuses on treating patients and not the disease. Although MS has been recognized for the past century, the knowledge gained by medical professionals on various treatments has increased dramatically. UNMC Physicians use this knowledge to provide patients and their families with accessible and comprehensive care that make a difference in the management of MS.

“What works for some patients might not work for others, care has to be individualized in order to be effective” said Dr. Rana Zabad, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program at UNMC Physicians MS Clinic. Dr. Zabad is the only neurologist with fellowship training in Neuro-Immunology in Nebraska and the region.

After trying various treatments, Angela Molden is now on natalizumab (Tysabri®), a powerful medicine that significantly reduces the number of MS relapses and slows the progression of physical disability. In order to prescribe Tysabri and many other drugs, UNMC Physicians closely monitor each patient. Angela visits the UNMC Physicians’ MS Clinic regularly to review changes and address other needs. The multi-disciplinary team at the clinic is comprised of physicians, PhDs, mid-level practitioners, case managers, physical therapists and many other subspecialists with neurological expertise.

Molden just received her 44th infusion and feels comfortable knowing that the medical staff at UNMC Physicians has her best interests in mind. The comprehensive care provided by UNMC Physicians has given her the ability to lead an active life. She has been a volunteer at the MS Society Nebraska chapter for the past several years, helping others deal with the difficult disease.

During the week of March 8th, the public is invited to help generate awareness of MS and the importance of comprehensive care. Tuesday, March 9, Angela and others impacted by MS will be part of a rally on the corner of 72nd and Dodge Street. Volunteers will support the MS Society by wearing orange and displaying signage. Also on March 9th the California Pizza Kitchen will host a fund raising event, twenty percent of every guest’s bill will be donated to the Nebraska Chapter.

For information on MS and MS awareness go online to HYPERLINK "http://nen.nationalmssociety.org" http://nen.nationalmssociety.org.

UNMC takes next step in developing Parkinson’s disease vaccine

Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have taken a significant step forward in developing a vaccination approach to reverse the neurological damage seen with Parkinson’s disease.

The findings appear in the March 1 issue of the Journal of Immunology, a leading scientific journal in the field of immunology.

The cause of Parkinson’s disease is the loss of neurons which produce dopamine, a nerve signaling chemical that controls movement and balance. The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation estimates that about 1 million people in the United States and more than 4 million people worldwide have the disease.

Degeneration and loss of these dopamine-producing neurons typically occur after age 60, and it is estimated that one person in 20 over the age of 80 has Parkinson’s.

Neurodegeneration occurs when a normal protein called alpha synuclein clumps, changes shape, then accumulates in the brain. This results in the body attacking it through inflammation and causing destruction of dopamine-producing nerve cells.

In the study, researchers reversed the neurodegenerative effects of alpha synuclein by changing immune responses to it. The vaccine strategy trains the immune system for eliciting neuroprotective responses in damaged brain regions.

In mice with an experimental form of Parkinson’s disease, injection of the vaccine produced cells that were able to reverse the disease. After receiving the treatment, these mice were found to have a similar number of dopamine-producing nerve cells and fibers as mice without Parkinson’s.

“We believe this could be a revolutionary means for Parkinson’s disease therapeutics,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., who partnered with R. Lee Mosley, Ph.D., to lead the research. “It has been a long journey representing more than 10 years of hard work by our research team.”

The researchers found that the vaccine enabled T cells in the treated mice to migrate to the damaged area of the brain and triggered a neuroprotective response that reduced disease-linked reactions in the brain.

T cells are white blood cells that are of key importance to the immune system and are at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body’s immune response to infectious organisms. The T cells act like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

“The identical immune deficits seen in mice are being looked at in humans with Parkinson’s disease,” Dr. Mosley said. “Early results are encouraging. This should pave the way for researchers to begin follow-up studies on the Parkinson’s treatments and open up new opportunities to realize an immunization approach for other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease).”

Dr. Gendelman said additional work is needed to determine how to translate the study results into a therapy for humans and to make sure the treatment is safe for patients.

Human studies are being conducted at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and within the next month at UNMC to determine if the immune deficits seen in mice also are present in humans with Parkinson’s disease. Such studies are required before vaccine trials are performed in humans, Dr. Gendelman said. This phase of the research is being made possible through funding from the Shoemaker Foundation in Nebraska.

James Linder, M.D., CEO of UNeMed, UNMC’s technology transfer company, said UNeMed has filed a patent application on the vaccine and will soon commence discussions with commercial partners on bringing the vaccine to the clinical setting.

Dr. Gendelman is professor and chairman of the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience (PEN). Dr. Mosley is associate professor in the PEN department. They teamed with three graduate students, Ashley Reynolds, Ph.D., David Stone and Jessica Hutter, who were responsible for performing the study and analyzing its results.

noon – 5 pm
mar ch
f ou r te e n t h

seven salon | sirens | salon halo | bangs | BUNGALO W/eight | GARBO ’S EAGLE RUN

Go to your favorite salon listed above to participate in this one day event. All proceeds go to relief efforts in Haiti. Details on facebook, search events for Hair for Haiti Omaha. Peel’s Salon Services will give one product worth up to $15 to every donator receiving a service that day. A minimum suggested donation requested. Join the cause. Contact Shannon Stickman at Seven Salon to get your salon registered.
This effort is a uniting of Omaha salons to help with the relief efforts in Haiti organized by SEVEN Salon.

934-2177 Photo Documentation: Jennied Photography and Stickman Photography

There’s an Alligator Under My Bed World-Premiere at The Rose

The Rose Theater’s original production of There’s an Alligator Under My Bed will premiere on March 5th. The fun-loving musical play is based on three of Mercer Mayer’s famous children’s books: There’s an Alligator Under My Bed, There’s Something in My Attic and There’s a Nightmare in My Closet.

There’s an Alligator Under My Bed is a “scary fun” production full of colorful costumes, fun music and loveable big creatures. How does a little boy get over the big alligator that lives under his bed? How does another command his toy soldiers to protect him from the Big Nightmare that lives in his closet? And what does a little girl in a farmhouse do when she decides to lasso the Silly Scary Thing living in her attic to show her parents? Rose audience members will find out.

“The lesson of this show is that most things really aren’t scary once you find out more about them,” said playwright and director James Larson. “Children will really enjoy the costumes, music and being ‘fun scared.’”

The stage adaptation of Mercer Mayer’s well-known children’s books is very faithful to the original stories and includes 15 minutes of lively singing and dancing. Each of the three stories and their characters remain separate in the production, but are performed by the same primary cast of five actors and actresses.

There’s an Alligator Under My Bed includes not only an original script, but also original music, choreography, costume, sets, props and lighting. “Sue Gillespie Booton’s choreography to Stuart Kenny’s fun songs is delightful,” said Larson.

There’s an Alligator Under My Bed will be presented on The Rose main stage from March 5th through March 21st at 7 p.m. each Friday and 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. The show is recommended for ages 4 to 12 and will run 50 minutes without intermission.

Tickets are $16 and may be purchased at The Rose Box Office, located at 2001 Farnam Street, by telephone at (402) 345-4849 or online at www.rosetheater.org. Discount tickets are available at all Omaha and Council Bluffs-area Hy-Vee Food Stores.

The Rose’s 2009/2010 season is sponsored by Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. There’s an Alligator Under My Bed is sponsored by First National Bank, The KAT and the Nebraska Arts Council.

"Blue Jeans and Dreams" - Where Horses and YOU Make Dreams Come True!

The Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (HETRA) is excited to announce the upcoming "Blue Jeans and Dreams" Benefit Dinner, Dance, Auction, and Student Demonstration on Saturday, March 27, 2010. Entertainment includes a demonstration by the Omaha Mounted Patrol Unit, the Cowboys of "Wild West Creations" and the highlight of the evening will be a dynamic riding demonstration by the HETRA Students and Horses.

The beautiful, heated Elkhorn Equestrian Center, located at 20915 Bennington Road, in Elkhorn, has been selected as the location for this year’s event. The evening's festivities will begin at 5:00 with a social hour and silent auction. Dinner will be served by Big Horn Barbecue at 6:00. The Omaha Mounted Patrol Unit will amaze the crowd at 7:00 and the HETRA students are scheduled to perform at 7:45, with the live auction immediately following. Dance to the music of SideStep until midnight.

This is a great opportunity to meet our HETRA students and amazing horses. You can witness for yourself the unique benefits of Therapeutic Riding! Proceeds from the 2010 Blue Jeans & Dreams will go towards the student sponsorship program.

Appearances by HETRA students and sponsors, who will assist in the live auction with items including a vacation getaway packages, NASCAR tickets, autographed sports memorabilia, artwork, and numerous gift certificates to area business all wrapped up in baskets for kids of all ages!

Dinner, demo, auction, and dance tickets are available in advance, $25 for adults, $15 for kids 12 & under. Can't make it early enough for dinner, enjoy the demo, auction and dance for $8 if purchased in advanced, or $10 at the door. Reserved tables for 8, which includes dinner and all the evening's festivities are available for $250. Dinner tickets must be pre-purchased, and will not be available the night of the event.

We hope to see you Saturday, March 27th, 2010 at Blue Jeans and Dreams - Where Horses and YOU make dreams comes true!

For more information on Blue Jeans and Dreams, or to purchase tickets, contact HETRA at www.hetra.org <http://www.hetra.org/> or 402-359-8830.

Presented by Midwest Regional Epilepsy Associates

Omaha, NE – In connection with the National Epilepsy Walk in Washington, DC, on March 27th, 2010, communities all over the United States will be holding walks to advocate for people with seizures to fully participate in all life experiences. The walk aims to improve how people with epilepsy are perceived, accepted and valued by society; and to raise funds for research for a cure. Volunteers and supporters will be front and center, leading the way for the Omaha, Nebraska walk which will take place Saturday, March 27, 2010, registration starting at 8:30am and walk from 9-11am, at Shadow Lake Towne Center in Papillion, NE. There will be activities on site for kids including balloon makers, face painting, and every walker will be entered into a drawing to take place during the walk.

The Epilepsy Foundation of America which serves every state in the US was originally made up of 3 local organizations, one being the American Epilepsy Federation, Inc. The gentleman who started that organization 50 years ago still lives in Omaha, NE today with his wife. We will be presenting William B. Woodruff, Esq. and Marilyn Woodruff with a special plaque at the walk in honor of their commitment to epilepsy and their courage, for if they had not taken that first step by creating a Nebraska organization to help those living with Epilepsy, the National Epilepsy Foundation of America we know today would not be.

If an individual is unable to actually walk, it is still possible to support Nebraska and the Epilepsy Foundation by being a "Virtual Walker." By going to the website http://www.walkforepilepsy.org and searching for team "Nebraskans Advocating for Epilepsy " anyone can join in the biggest national event ever for Epilepsy.

The Nebraska Brain Injury Association will also be represented at this walk and will have an informational booth available to those interested in becoming more involved in the brain injury work that is being done in Nebraska. March is National Brain Injury Awareness month and Nebraska is holding their Brain Injury Conference March 25-26.

For additional information on the Epilepsy Walk, contact Stacey Doty at sdoty77@hotmail.com call 402-850-7680 or http://efa.convio.net/goto/Omaha

For additional information on our Presenting Sponsor- Midwest Regional Epilepsy Associates go to www.midwestepilepsy.com or call 402-552-2270.

For additional information on our Gold Sponsor - Cyberonics, Inc. go to www.cyberonics/en.com or call 816-214-1217.

For additional information on our Gold Sponsor - Lundbeck's Sabril Anti Seizure Medication go to http://www.lundbeckinc.com/usa/products/cns/sabril/default.asp or call 866-337-6996.

To support our Gold Sponsor Team "The Keen Family" go to http://efa.convio.net/goto/omahaepilepsy.

For additional information on Brain Injury Awareness Month go to http://www.braininjury.ne.gov/ or Hotline for Disabilities Services 800.742.7594.

For more information on the Epilepsy Foundation go to http://www.epilepsyheartland.org or call 1-800-221-2689.

Cancer researcher at UNMC College of Dentistry searches for ways to make chemotherapy more effective

Greg Oakley, Ph.D., a cancer researcher at the UNMC College of Dentistry recently received a four-year $720,000 grant from the American Cancer Society.
The focus of his research, DNA damage and how cells repair themselves is one way Dr. Oakley hopes to find ways to make chemotherapy more effective.

He is looking at the process by which cells, good or bad, are damaged by chemotherapy and find a way to protect the healthy cells.

Dr. Oakley hopes to do this by targeting a protein called Replication Protein A (RPA).

“Once a cell is damaged RPA jumps into action to begin the repair process by recruiting other proteins,” Dr. Oakley said. “If we can find a way to inhibit the activation of this protein in cancer cells then it could be a useful target for cancer therapy.”

Dr. Oakley, who has degrees in toxicology and pharmacy, came to the College of Dentistry in 2006 from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he first began studying RPA in 1996.

His research crystallized last year when his research associate, Dr. Jason Glanzer’s young daughter, five-year-old Abby Glanzer, developed a brain tumor. Abby was featured in the “Burger King Help Beat Cancer for Kids” campaign this year. She is now in remission.

“It brought the research home and gave it special meaning,” Dr. Oakley said.

3 course Dinner
Saturday, March 13, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m.
Come join us for a 3-course italian dinner paired with Soaring Wings wines!
Main course will be chicken linguini alfredo!
Cost is $25 per person.
Reservation are required by March 10th.

Rain, sleet, snow or sunshine, the music plays!
Sunday, Fbruary 7th, Blues Ed Students are performing.
Music from 2:00-5:00 PM on Sunday, no cover charge!

March 2010:

07-Mar-10 Jessica Errett
14-Mar-10 Greg Place
21-Mar-10 Blues Ed Students
28-Mar-10 Stovall

April 2010:

04-Apr-10 Closed - Easter
11-Apr-10 Chris Saub
18-Apr-10 Mark Irvin
25-Apr-10 Blues Ed Students

Check out these events and more at our website: www.soaringwingswine.com
Soaring Wings Vineyard, LLC
17111 S 138th St
Springfield, NE 68059

UNMC seeks to raise $100,000 for Haiti outreach fund

The University of Nebraska Medical Center has set a goal to raise $100,000 for the UNMC Haitian Relief and Outreach Fund through the University of Nebraska Foundation.

The fund -- which to this point has raised about $10,000 -- supports relief missions such as the one undertaken by 13 medical center volunteers who arrived in Haiti last weekend.

UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, hope to send multiple groups of volunteers to assist in Haiti, where a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Jan. 12 left hundreds of thousands of people dead and wounded.

"We have many outstanding volunteers who want to go to Haiti to help and are even willing to pay their own way to do so," said Ayman El-Mohandes, M.B.B.Ch., M.D., M.P.H., dean of the College of Public Health and a co-leader of UNMC’s Haitian response activities. "This fund supports their efforts and reduces the personal financial burdens on these amazing people."

Presently, there is a major need for more bedside nurses to assist with wound care, said Nick Hall, a nurse at The Nebraska Medical Center, who is in Haiti this week.

A second group of people to be deployed to Haiti is being organized this week and will focus on this need for more nurses.

There are several ways to donate to the fund, including:

Online at http://nufoundation.org/haiti; and
Through the mail by sending donations to:

University of Nebraska Foundation
2285 S. 67th St., Suite 200
Omaha, NE 68106

Two local businesses have programs to support the UNMC fund. Union Pacific Railroad has agreed to match dollar-for-dollar employee contributions to the UNMC fund. Midwest Laboratories has set up a similar program that runs through Friday.

Businesses interested in setting up matching programs should contact Amy Volk of the University of Nebraska Foundation at 402-502-4112.

In addition, a non-profit organization will raise money for the fund at two “State of the Union Watch Parties” in Lincoln and Omaha on Wednesday evening.

The Lincoln party will be held at Zen’s, 122 N. 11th St., and the Omaha party will be held at Clancy’s, 7120 Pacific St. Both parties start at 7:30 p.m.

In a proactive move to try to meet the demand for family physicians in rural Nebraska, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Kearney have established the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP).

“With 32 percent of rural physicians over the age of 55, workforce projections indicate a critical shortage of physicians in rural Nebraska over the next 5 to 10 years,” said Harold M. Maurer, M.D., UNMC chancellor. “The goal of the KHOP program is to address this need by providing rural Nebraska students the opportunity to pursue a career in medicine, and then hopefully they will want to go back and practice in a rural community.”

The KHOP program will target high school seniors interested in family medicine. It is modeled after the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP), which was started by UNMC in 1990 to encourage rural residents to pursue careers in health care and practice in small communities throughout Nebraska.

“KHOP is a tremendous opportunity for students who are interested in the field of health care, and it also will be an excellent service to the citizens of Nebraska,” said UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen. “This program will further extend the partnership we enjoy with UNMC.”

The program works like this:
· Five students a year will be accepted into the program starting with the 2010-2011 class this fall. Applications are being accepted now.
· For the 2011-2012 class the deadline to apply is Dec. 1, 2010.
· The students will be accepted into KHOP in their senior year of high school.
· After completing their undergraduate studies at UNK, they will automatically be accepted into medical school at UNMC, provided they maintain an acceptable grade point average.
· The students will receive a tuition waiver for their time at UNK but will have to pay tuition and compete for scholarships when they get to UNMC.
· Acceptance into the program is based on academic standing, ACT scores, community involvement and a desire to return to rural Nebraska.

“UNK is the perfect fit for this program, as it does an excellent job of preparing students for the rigors of medical school,” said John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean, UNMC College of Medicine.

“On average, more than 60 percent of RHOP graduates go on to practice in rural communities. UNMC has demonstrated considerable success in building pipeline programs that target shortage areas,” said Jeff Hill, M.D., associate dean for admissions and students, UNMC College of Medicine. “We’re confident that the KHOP program will continue this tradition.”

For more information about the KHOP program contact: Peggy Abels, director of health science programs at UNK, (308) 865-8260, abelsp@unk.edu