Submitted photo
A Brooken home goes up in flames Christmas Day. See related story.

Christmas Day fire destroys Brooken home

Submitted photo
Only the beams remain identifiable after a conflagration swept through a Brooken home Christmas Day. The fire that destroyed the doublewide mobile home is believed to have been started by lights on a Christmas tree.

By Doug Russell
News Editor
Christmas lights on a dry, natural tree are believed to have started a Christmas Day fire that destroyed a Brooken home, despite efforts of firefighters from several area departments.
"We got the call at 1738 (5:38 p.m.)," said Brooken Fire Chief Doug McLaughlin. "It's kind of odd, because I'd been bringing my bunker gear into the house each evening because it's been so cold, and that day I'd left them in the truck. The one day I leave them in the truck, we got a call."
McLaughlin immediately called for assistance from the Whitefield and Lona Valley departments and roared out to the blaze at 317 S. BK 1403, the home Roger Helms shared with two other people, only to find the whole living room area engulfed, with flames racing toward the bedrooms.
"A firefighter from the No. 9 department was there and said they also had a truck responding, but there really wasn't anything we could do," McLaughlin said. "Within a few minutes of arriving, the fire had spread so fast there was no saving it." (more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)

SADness and depression

By Karen West
Staff Writer
Are you feeling SAD this winter?
Seasonal Affective Disorder occurs about the same time every year for people affected by it, usually beginning in the fall months and continuing throughout the winter.
SAD is a condition where a person feels less energetic, moody, anxious and depressed. The person may lose interest in hobbies or activities they normally enjoy, and have an increased craving of carbohydrates, leading to weight gain. They tend to sleep more and feel drowsy during the day.
The disorder is associated with the lack of sunlight during the winter months. Experts think there may be a link between a disrupted sleep cycle and circadian rhythms that may cause a serotonin imbalance in the brain, which affects mood.
There is hope. SAD can be treated with phototherapy, a treatment where the individual is exposed to simulated light. One example is a simulation of dawn, where a light will be turned on slowly, beginning very dimly and increasing in brightness over a period of time.
Other treatments include counseling and medications. Antidepressants can help with the serotonin levels in the brain, and counseling can help with learning to manage the symptoms of SAD. Exercise may also help by increasing your energy levels.
If you feel cheerful during the spring and summer but get the "winter blues," don't ignore it. See your doctor for help.