Compassionate Friends

WILLMAR — The West Central Minnesota chapter of The Compassionate Friends will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Lakeland Health Center in Willmar. The Compassionate Friends is a self-help group offering friendship and understanding to families who have experienced the death of a child at any age. More information is available at www.compassionatefriendswcmn.org.

Aging Wisely

WILLMAR — “Aging Wisely: Finding New Confidence and Purpose” will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Willmar Community Center. The program is part of a series to help support the educational, social and nutritional needs of older adults. A representative from Westview Village and Sterling Manor will speak on their senior housing options. For more information, call Carrie at 320-231-2598.

Caregiver

WILLMAR — The caregiver support group will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Bethesda Grand. Respite can be provided in our Daybreak program. For more information or to arrange respite, call Bunne Frost-Johnston at 320-220-2512.

NAMI Western Minnesota

WILLMAR — The NAMI Western Minnesota mental health support groups for families and peer-to-peer support will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Family Practice Medical Center in Willmar. Use the east door, downstairs in rooms 2 and 4. Family groups are led by trained facilitators who also have a family member with mental illness. The group helps families develop better coping skills and strength through sharing. It is sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. For more information, call 320-235-3084.

Cancer

WILLMAR — The You Are Not Alone cancer support group will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, at the Willmar Fire Station training room in Willmar. It is open to anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, any stage, any age. Acupuncturist Alix Blick will speak about acupuncture. For more information, call Rachel or Barb at 320-231-4570.

TBRI training

WILLMAR — A Trust-Based Relational Intervention training will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 20, at the Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services building presented by Meagan Galbari, a licensed professional clinical counselor. Training will touch on TBRI principles (empowering, connecting and correcting) and cover such topics as the impact of a child’s history on their long-term development, how to interpret behavior and respond compassionately, and the “why?” of challenging behaviors, plus offer concrete strategies to improve the relationship and ultimately the behaviors. TBRI training is a must for adoptive and foster parents, as well as professionals, ministry leaders, school personnel, etc. who interact with children who come from trauma.

The training is sponsored by Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services and PACT for Families. To register, contact Lynnette at 320-231-7030, ext. 2961, or email lynnette.sommers@pactforfamilies.org . For questions about the training, email Tina Mages at Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services at tina.mages@kcmn.us . There is no cost to PACT members, non-members are $30. Parents, grandparents, foster parents and adoptive parents are free. If payment is a barrier, please contact PACT or Tina at Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services.

Planned Parenthood

WILLMAR — The clinic hours at Planned Parenthood, 2320 U.S. Highway 12 E., Willmar for family planning and reproductive health services for women and men may vary. Call 320-235-9150 for hours and appointments. Most insurance plans accepted. Interpreter services are available.

Community Health Service

WILLMAR — Community Health Service Inc. provides affordable health care for seasonal workers, farmers, hired help and families who have been employed in agriculture in the past 24 months. Retired and disabled farmers also qualify. Health care services are available at Community Health Service, 1804 Trott Ave. S.W., Willmar. Sliding fee scales are income-based. Late clinic hours are offered with a health care provider. Interpreter services also are available. For more information about hours and appointments, call 320-214-7286

Insurance counseling

WILLMAR — Trained staff and volunteers with Senior LinkAge Line are available to help answer questions and provide assistance with Medicare, supplemental insurance, long-term care insurance, prescription drugs, forms and more. Counseling is free and confidential. Walk-ins are welcome. Upcoming dates are 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 25 and March 10 and from 10 a.m. to noon on March 12 at the consumer health library at Rice Memorial Hospital, Willmar.

Immunization clinic

WILLMAR — Kandiyohi County Public Health will hold a walk-in immunization clinic from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 and March 2, Suite 1080, at the Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services Building, 2200 23rd St. N.E., Willmar. No appointment is needed. All childhood vaccinations are available. An administration fee is charged for vaccinations given to children who qualify for the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program. A tetanus booster for adults that is recommended every 10 years is also available along with other adult vaccinations. Medical Assistance, BluePlus, UCare and MinnesotaCare are accepted as payment — your card must be presented at the clinic. However, no one will be denied their immunizations due to inability to pay. If financing is a problem, call 320-231-7860. Parents are asked to bring immunization records to the clinic for accurate recordkeeping.

Bloodmobile

The American Red Cross conducts blood drives in the west central area. To give blood you must be at least 17 years old, weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Sixteen-year-olds may if they have a signed Red Cross parental/guardian consent form. You can give blood every 56 days. Double red cells can be donated every 112 days. While all blood types are needed, type O and type B-negative donors are especially encouraged to give.

Appointments can be made at 1-800-RED-CROSS or online at www.redcrossblood.org unless otherwise noted. All donors need acceptable identification. The preferred form is a government-issued picture identification, such as a driver’s license, or a Red Cross blood donor card. Otherwise you will need to provide two other forms of identification, such as a work identification, Social Security card, personal check or credit card. Personalized mail such as a utility bill will not be accepted. Blood drives scheduled for the Tribune area are:

Feb. 18, Willmar: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rice Memorial Hospital

Feb. 18, Olivia: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., BOLD High School

Feb. 18, Paynesville: Noon to 6 p.m., American Legion

Feb. 19, Montevideo: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Montevideo High School

Feb. 20, Belgrade: 1 to 7 p.m., St. Francis De Sales parish center

Feb. 25, Litchfield: 1 to 7 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

Feb. 26, Benson: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Benson High School

Feb. 28, Grove City: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., ACGC High School

March 2, Murdock: Noon to 5 p.m., City Hall

March 9, Willmar: 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., Assembly of God Church

March 9, Olivia: 2 to 6 p.m., St. Aloysius Catholic Church

March 16, Hector: 1 to 7 p.m., First Lutheran Church

March 17, Willmar: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Ridgewater College

March 25, Renville: 1 to 7 p.m., Community Center

March 26, Willmar: Noon to 6 p.m., American Legion

March 31, Willmar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Willmar Public Library