Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) will host Healthy Aging program: Engage, Energize, Elevate! On Wednesday April 17, 2019  Winter tends to be a time of hibernation, making our bodies feel sluggish and our emotions a bit blue. It’s time to shake off the winter blahs and welcome spring!  Engage, Energize, Elevate” will be presented by, Crystal Mosher, Senor Chapter Development Specialist from Women’s Life Insurance.   Crystal will discuss ways in which everyone can engage with friends, energize our bodies and elevate the spirit!   Join us for the Healthy Aging program:  Engage, Energize, Elevate on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at Lake Huron Medical Center in the Lighthouse  Café at 2:00 PM.  There is no cost to attend, refreshments will be served and social time enjoyed.  Lake Huron Medical Center is proud to present the Healthy Aging series that promotes safety and supports independence for our area seniors.  To learn more about this program or other senior services offered through Lake Huron Medical Center, please call: 810-216-1035  For more information on the programs and services offered through Lake Huron Medical Center, please visit www.mylakehuron.com.

McLaren Health Care Corp., a 14-hospital health system with a location here in Port Huron, has jumped on the emerging telehealth bandwagon by offering a new service called McLarenNow to employees, patients and anyone who has a non-emergency primary care condition.  For a $49 fee, people are able to register at McLarenNow with their smartphone or computer and use a web camera to talk with one of five board-certified family physicians on McLaren’s hospital staffs.  Common conditions might include back strain, cough and cold, ear pain, headaches, pink eye, rash, sore throat sinus problems and flu symptoms.  The program ran as a pilot trial in the month of February for hospital employees and the full telehealth service opened up to all March 1.  Authorities say about 200 telehealth consultations have been delivered, with 82 percent women, mostly mothers inquiring about their children’s medical condition.

As EMS providers across Michigan and throughout the country work to address a widespread shortage of paramedics, St. Clair County Community College has added a summer emergency medical technician course to help students enter the field.  SC4’s state-certified, 274-hour basic emergency medical technician course runs from May 6 to Aug. 14, combining classroom instruction and clinical experience in an ambulance and emergency room to train students for careers as emergency medical technicians.  After completing the class, graduates are eligible to earn their EMT license and enter a paramedic certificate program. SC4’s accredited paramedic program prepares students to take the national registry paramedic certification exam and apply for a Michigan paramedic license in as little as three semesters. Because of the high demand nationwide, licensed paramedics have immediate access to career opportunities.  “If there is a paramedic out there with a state license who wants to work in EMS, they have a job right now,” Tri-Hospital EMS CEO Ken Cummings recently told the Times Herald.  SC4’s EMT course, ZPFT 850-01, begins with an orientation Monday, April 29, at 10 a.m. in the college’s Applied Technology Center, room 134.  “It’s a very fulfilling career,” said SC4 program director Roger McClelland. “It’s in your blood and very fulfilling to help others, and that’s what the career is all about — the service to the community.”  Those interested can find detailed information and register online at sc4.edu/emt.

The 17th annual Earth Fair is Friday, April 26 from 9am – 4pm and Saturday, April 27 from 10am – 4pm at Goodells County Park in the heart of St. Clair County. Parking, admission and activities are free.  Earth Fair is Michigan’s largest Earth Day celebration. It is a two-day event designed to showcase earth-friendly options for food, energy, transportation, clothing, homes, gardening and more. By blending together demonstrations, workshops, exhibits and artisans, Earth Fair offers a unique opportunity for thousands of visitors to connect with over 60 exhibitors promoting healthy, earth-friendly and organic products and services.  According to Sheri Faust Environmental Educator for the St. Clair County Health Department, highlights include:

– Free Shuttle Service – Two Blue Water Area Transit busses offer free rides from the Vantage Point Maritime Center and Vinicker’s Market in Wadhams to Goodells County Park

– Tree & Shrub Sale – The Blue Water Conservation District will be selling a variety of flowering trees, conifers, shrubs and wildflowers

– Live Entertainment – There are a variety of shows offered on the Main Stage on Saturday.

– Green Guardian Award Ceremony – Awards will be presented to three winners during the ceremony on Saturday at 11am

– Butterfly House – Experience live butterflies inside a screened enclosure

– Over 60 exhibitors, workshops, face painting, give-aways, Earth Fair merchandise, and more

Earth Fair has announced its five 2019 Green Guardian Award recipients. The Green Guardian award program is the Blue Water Area’s only environmental award that recognizes businesses, schools, groups and individuals that enhance, preserve, and protect the Blue Water Area.

GREEN GUARDIAN WINNERS:

–          Individual – Kay Cumbow

–          Group – Memphis Lions Club

–          Non-Profit – Community Enterprises of St. Clair County

–          Business – Kate’s Downtown & The Boathouse by Kate

–          School – Woodland Developmental Center – Michelle Ebmeyer’s classroom

Visit www.EarthDayFair.com for a complete list of event details. St. Clair County Earth Fair is a non-profit organization led by local agencies, individuals, and nonprofits committed to environmental education throughout the Blue Water Area. For more information about Earth Fair, contact Sheri Faust at the St. Clair County Health Department at (810) 987-5306 or earthfair@stclaircounty.org.

Registration for fall 2019 classes at St. Clair County Community College is now open. There is no deposit required to register through May 10. Classes will fill up fast — students are encouraged to register as soon as possible in order to get the classes they need to complete their degree programs or successfully transfer to a four-year institution.  Many in-demand courses, including those that qualify for the Michigan Transfer Agreement, are available in fall 2019. A number of classes are also offered online. From business and information technology to health sciences, engineering, criminal justice and much more, students can secure their spot in a variety of courses before the semester officially begins on Monday, Aug. 19. The full list of available fall courses is online at sc4.edu/schedule.  New students can apply to SC4 at sc4.edu/admissions/starthere. Current students can register online through their student portal or on the SC4 mobile app. To speak with an admissions representative about options, or for details on how to get started, call 810-989-5571. For registration assistance, contact the SC4 Call Center at 810-989-5500.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for public and private non-profit organizations to implement and evaluate sexual violence primary prevention strategies based on best available evidence across multiple levels of the Social Ecological Model.  MDHHS is committed to the goal of decreasing rates of sexual violence perpetration and victimization in Michigan using a public health approach to decrease risk factors and increase protective factors that impact sustainable community/societal-level change. MDHHS expects to award approximately $525,000 annually through this competitive RFP process to five agencies, with funding of $105,000 per year to implement and evaluate comprehensive sexual violence prevention programming.  Funded applicants will receive ongoing technical assistance from the MDHHS project coordinator as well as the evaluation team from the Michigan Public Health Institute. Technical assistance will include help with program start-up, reporting requirements and barriers to program implementation.  Grant applications must be submitted electronically through the MI E-Grants program by May 7, at 3 p.m. The program period begins Oct. 1, 2019 and ends Sept. 30, 2020. For more information or to apply, visit the MI E-Grants website and select “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete RFP can be accessed under the ‘Current Grants’ section under the “Public Health Administration” link and selecting the “SVP-2020” grant program.