Health Calendar published July 23, 2019

WILLMAR – The Forget-Me-Knot Memory Cafe will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the Brothers Cafe and Bistro in Bethesda Grand. The group offers a place for individuals with early dementia and their caregivers to socialize, receive support and get connected with local resources. For more information, call 320-235-8573.

WILLMAR – A gardening and nutrition event will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Karen Gardens at Grace Baptist Church, north of Willmar. The Karen are an ethnic group from Burma (Myanmar), many of whom fled Burma due to religious and ethnic persecution by the government. St. Paul is home to one of the largest Karen communities in America and some have recently settled in the Willmar area.

There will be tours of the garden, recipe and seed swaps, educational presentations, healthy snacks and more. It begins with a tour of the Karen garden at 4 p.m.; gardening tips at 4:15 p.m.; healthy snacks indoors at 4:30 p.m. followed by short talks on oral health, diet and nutrition, and a state Department of Natural Resources hunting and fishing talk along with time for questions and answers. There will be another tour of the Karen gardens at 5:45 p.m. finishing with recipe and seed swaps at 6 p.m. (bring your favorites). Everyone is welcome.

WILLMAR – The YMCA Healthy Aging program has several events planned at the Kandiyohi Area YMCA in Willmar. All are open to the public. For questions, call Beth Johnston 320-222-9622.

Ellen Radel: July 23, 10 a.m. Radel will speak about “Little Golden Books.”

Sibley State Park: July 30, 9:30 a.m. Bus leaves for park, where there will be hiking and a presentation by naturalist Kelsey Olson from 10 to 11 a.m.

BIRD ISLAND – The National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota will have a free mental health first aid training course from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the Cultural Center in Bird Island. The course is designed to teach the basic first aid skills needed to help a person who is experiencing a mental health problem or crisis and is aimed at improving mental health literacy. Participants will receive a course manual and certificate for completing the course. Advance registration is required: See “classes” at namimn.org. For more information, contact NAMI at 651-645-2948.

BIRD ISLAND – The National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota will have a free QPR suicide prevention presentation from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Cultural Center in Bird Island. Learn the three steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives and is for members of the community over the age of 16 who want to learn best practices in suicide prevention. Advance registration is required; See “classes” at namimn.org. For more information, contact NAMI at 651-645-2948.

WILLMAR – The Carris Health Diabetes program will have a small group prediabetes lifestyle change program on Wednesdays beginning Aug. 7 at the Skylark Center clinic in WIllmar. The program is free for those eligible for Medicare or Medicaid. For more information or to register, call 320-231-6348.

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.

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. July 23 and Aug. 13 at the consumer health library at Rice Memorial Hospital, Willmar.

WILLMAR – Kandiyohi County Public Health will hold a walk-in immunization clinic from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12, Aug. 19 and Aug. 26, in 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 record keeping.

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:

July 23, Willmar: 1 to 7 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church

July 23, Hancock: 1 to 7 p.m., The Axis

July 24, Willmar: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rice Memorial Hospital

July 25, Willmar: Noon to 6 p.m., First Reformed Church

July 25, Boyd: 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church

July 29, Willmar: Noon to 6 p.m., American Legion

July 29, Granite Falls: 1 to 7 p.m., Kilowatt Center

July 30, Willmar: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kandiyohi County Area YMCA

July 31, Willmar: 1 to 7 p.m., Living Hope Church

July 31, Spicer: Noon to 6 p.m., Prairie Meadows Learning Center

July 31, Appleton: 1 to 7 p.m., St. John’s Catholic Church

Aug. 5, Olivia: Noon to 6 p.m., St. Aloysius Catholic Church