Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 6

A6 NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2008 DECATUR, ILLINOIS www.herald-review.com GIVING THANKS A million cheer 82nd Macy's parade 1 icas. Linde tested the process of sucking the gas out of the balloons, compressing it and later purifying it for resale last year. Among the smaller balloons was a newcomer that pays tribute to graffiti artist Keith Haring, who died in 1990. The parade also featured 28 floats, 10 marching bands and performances by Miley Cyrus, Trace Adkins, James Taylor and the Radio City Rockettes. In Detroit, thousands braved near-freezing temperatures in hats, mittens and scarves to stake prime spots to view the city's parade, which has been held for more than 80 years.

Harry Vanuden, a 45-year-old Chrysler LLC worker, said he was grateful to still have his job this Thanksgiving. He's among 200 remaining employees at Chrysler's Mack engine plant in Detroit. Two years ago, Vanuden said they numbered 1,500. "I've been a toolmaker for 26 years," said Vanuden, who lives in the Detroit suburb of Warren. "You hope for the best.

I'm just thankful I'm stiU there." giant dog balloon. "This is just fantastic!" the 11-year-old Quincy said. "So amazing to be here in person! I'm just so excited about today!" New to the revelry this year were Buzz Lightyear, the square-jawed, action-figure astronaut from the 1995 film "Toy Story;" Horton, the compassionate elephant of Dr. Seuss books; and a five-story Smurf, a blue, gnome-like creature popularized by a TV show that began in 1981. Old favorites such as Kermit and the Energizer Bunny also were back.

Organizers said more than a million spectators viewed the 82nd annual parade in person, with another 50 million watching on television. The 2.5-mile route winds from Central Park West and West 77th Street to Herald Square, in front of Macy's flagship store. Crews on Wednesday inflated the 13 giant balloons and 31 smaller ones. Each giant balloon requires more than 5,000 cubic feet of helium, much of which supplier Linde North America intended to recover and recycle, said Nick Haines, the company's helium director for the Amer James Taylor, Miley Cyrus, Trace Adldns among performers NEW YORK (AP) Val Bonner planned for a decade to attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on her 50th birthday, and this year she got her wish Thursday, joining throngs of holiday revelers in Manhattan cheering the giant balloons and thousands of marchers. "It's just fabulous I cried when I saw it," said Bonner, of Steilacoom, Wash.

"This is my gift to myself. I've been saving for years for it. It's a dream come true" Bonner, her husband, Frank, and son Jack stood with shrieking, delighted children throwing confetti as the 82nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade wound its way through Manhattan streets under sunny skies. Quincy Kersbergen of Wyckoff, N.J., found a prime viewing spot perched on a police barricade near the beginning of the parade and proclaimed herself a big fan of a i Little fanfare greets Native American Day PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -For the first time, federal legislation has set aside the day after Thanksgiving for this year only to honor the contributions American Indians have made to the United States.

Frank Suniga, a descendent of Mescalero Apache Indians who lives in Oregon, said he and others began pushing in 2001 for a national day that recognizes tribal heritage. Suniga, 79, proposed his idea to a cultural committee that is part of the Portland-based Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. The organization took on the cause of a commemorative day, as did the National Congress of American Indians and other groups. Congress passed legislation this year designating the day as Native American Heritage Day, and President George W. Bush signed it last month.

The measure notes that more American Indians than any other group, per capita, serve in the U.S. military. It also cites tribes' artistic, musical and agricultural contributions. "The Indians kept the Pilgrims alive with turkeys and wild Suniga said. "That's the reason it was attached to the Thanksgiving weekend." After the Thanksgiving weekend, Suniga said, he and other advocates plan to lobby to place the Native American Heritage Day on the nation's calendar annually.

Associated Press The Paddington Bear helium balloon appears to be waving to a Chicago Transit Authority worker on the elevated tracks inside Chicago's famed Loop during the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Astronauts celebrate on space station Donate plasma. It pays to save a life. A the direction of the sun to generate power. The shuttle will bring back Gregory Chamitoff, who lived for six months at the space station.

Astronaut Sandra Magnus took his place on the three-person crew. Before the astronauts retired to the shuttle for the night, they ate and toasted the holiday, 220 miles above Earth. "To Thanksgiving. Wishing everyone on Earth, and off Earth, a good Thanksgiving," said Endeavour astronaut Donald Pettit. The shuttle was set to undock early today and return to Florida on Sunday, completing a 16-day mission for Endeavour's crew.

It delivered a new bathroom, kitchenette, two bedrooms, exercise equipment and a system that purifies urine, sweat and condensation into drinking water. All is needed to double the space station's population to six next year. Endeavour astronauts also performed four spacewalks to clean and lubricate a jammed joint that rotates solar wings in HOUSTON (AP) With hugs and handshakes, shuttle Endeavour's seven astronauts bid farewell to the international space station crew after they ate a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing and candied yams. "You've totally fixed us up on the inside and on the outside," station commander Mike Fincke told Endeavour's crew before the hatches between the station and shuttle shut. "You guys were such perfect guests.

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"Our network is strained right now," Dolgan said. "Our most successful pantries are having to turn people away." Donations to the Salvation Army in the Washington, D.C., area have dropped 20 percent, while the agency grapples with a 30 percent increase in requests for assistance, said Maj. Steve Morris, the organization's area commander. The Capital Area Food Bank, Washington's primary distribution center for food agencies, said calls from needy residents have jumped nearly 250 percent in the past six months. But cash donations are down about 10 percent from last fall, and food contributions have declined 15 percent.

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