Choze Powell

The National Association of Letter Carriers is planning its first Food Drive after being on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Letter Carrier’s Food Drive is set for Saturday, May 14, 2022.

Those who want to support this national effort to Stamp Out Hunger can donate nonperishable food items by leaving them in a bag next to their mailbox on May 14th so their letter carriers can pick them up.

No special bags are needed for donations, and some of the top-requested food items to donate are cereal, pasta, canned goods, peanut butter, and 100% juice. Healthy, low-sodium, or low-sugar items are needed as well along with canola and olive oils.

The Letter Carriers Food Drive has been running for 30 years and reaches 1,500 post offices in all 50 states. Local donations will benefit the Blue Water Community Food Depot.

More information is available <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The 2nd Annual Detroit Filmmaker Awards Ceremony will take place at the Charles H. Wright Museum on May 22, 2022, and Aven Campau, a Port Huron Northern sophomore, has been nominated for best actor in a short film.

Aven played the role of the son in the short film, Mr. Seek, which was filmed in Detroit and released in late 2019. The film shares the story of a son who cares for his father during his frequent mental health episodes. Mr Seek was selected for awards at the New York Lift-Off Film Festival in 2020, the WILDsound Feedback Film Festival in 2021, and the Dark Story Film Festival also in 2021.

Mr Seek was also nominated for Best Editing, Matt Holloway;  Best Cinematography, Brandon Roberts; and Best Director, Brianna Celestina.

When asked how he felt about the nomination, Campau said, ‘“I thought it was really cool! Brianna and the entire crew were amazing and I’m so happy to see them all get nominations too.”

Campau’s mother, Missy Campau, said, “I was completely caught off guard by this nomination. He works very hard and I’m incredibly proud of him. This industry  is as difficult as it is rewarding so recognition goes a long way.”

Aven Campau started acting in 2017 and has participated in over 30 projects since then in Detroit, Chicago, Connecticut, and New York. He’s also a visual artist with work available for sale on Etsy at his shop, Art by Aven.

To learn more about Aven Campau and his career, visit: https://avencampau.com/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

A group of citizens are holding a Town Hall meeting in May to provide information about calling a Convention of States. Their purpose is to debunk myths and answer questions about self governance, the role of state and local government, and the solutions they believe a Convention of States can offer.

The Town Hall event is May 10, 2022 from 7 – 8:30 PM at the St. Clair Lions Club in East China.

A Convention of States provides an alternative to amending the Constitution through proposals by Congress. It can be initiated by two-thirds of the legislatures of several states who would pass a resolution calling for all 50 states to hold a Convention of States. At the Convention of States, the Constitution could be amended by selected delegates.

According to a press release from the Michigan Convention of States Action team, Michigan House of Representatives candidate, Jay DeBoyer, current St. Clair County Clerk, will participate in the town hall. DeBoyer is running for State Representative of the 63rd District which covers Clay, China, Cottrellville, East China, Ira, and part of Casco Townships, as well as the cities of Algonac, Marine City, and St. Clair.

In a list of frequently asked questions provided by the Convention of States Action Project, the reason for calling a Convention of States is because “[t]he federal government is spending this county to the ground, seizing power from the states, and taking liberty from the people.”

More information is available by visiting

https://conventionofstates.com/michigan-home

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

I believe that no matter where you live, work, learn, or play you deserve the opportunity to live life to your fullest potential. This core belief has driven my passion for public health over the past 15 years and has been instrumental in the St. Clair County Health Department’s aim in achieving health equity through our policies, programs and collaborations. “Equity” is not to be confused with “equality”.

When thinking about health equity, I like referring to a graphic produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In it are several bicyclists looking to take a ride. However, they each come to the ride with different characteristics. One uses a wheelchair while the second is very tall. The third rider is average sized and the final rider is a child. If each individual was treated equally and given the same standard issued bicycle, only the average sized person would be able to comfortably ride. Yet, if each individual is given a bike that accommodates their specific needs, the result is an equitable experience where ALL have an opportunity to ride and barriers to participate are removed.

The role public health plays in addressing health equity issues is critical. Public health collects population level data that helps identify gaps in health outcomes and constantly has a “lens” towards how to move the needle towards better health for everyone, especially those with the greatest challenges.  It turns out that health is impacted much more from the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work and play, called the social determinants of health (SDOH), than good genetics and quality medical care. Certainly, individual choices are important, however factors in the social environment are what determine access to health services and influence lifestyle choices in the first place. It has been widely reported that SDOH has a profound impact on a broad range of health, functioning and quality of life outcomes. In fact, research shows that SDOH factors can drive as much as 80% of health outcomes.  It’s incredible to think of the power our communities hold in shaping our health!

Nonetheless, the work of public health, and in turn health equity, is not our work alone. It is shared amongst everyone in our community. I’m particularly proud of the strong collaborations we have developed with a broad range of community partners, and particularly with leaders in the Southside of Port Huron and the Diversity Initiative of St. Clair County. Our ability to address racial and identity based inequities is greatly enhanced by working together on common goals. Although progress has been made, there is still much work to do. An important step will be reviewing our 2021 St. Clair County Community Health Needs Assessment which will be released in the next few weeks. This data will show where there are significant gaps and inform us on the steps we need to take as a community to ensure equitable health outcomes for ALL residents.

Yours in health,

Dr. Annette Mercatante, MD, MPH

Medical Health Officer

St. Clair County Health Department

Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department

Cancer patients and those currently undergoing cancer treatment are invited to participate in art therapy with a certified art therapist. Sessions take place Fridays, May 6 through June 10, from 12 – 2 p.m. in the Charles Classroom at McLaren Port Huron.

Participants will work with Sara Sharp, M Ed., ATR, certified art therapist, to focus on unlocking the create part of themselves through their journey of healing. No art experience is necessary. Participants are encouraged to attend all six sessions and must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or booster within the past six months.

Art therapy sessions are made possible through McLaren Port Huron Foundation’s Betty Kearns Cancer Fund. This fund supports patients treating for any kind of cancer at McLaren Port Huron.

This program is free, but registration is required. To register or for more information call HealthAccess at 1-800-228-1484.