Bay Park offering diabetes meal-planning class

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 20.8 million people in the United States have diabetes and nearly one-third of this group are unaware they have the disease.

Pat Misthal, RN, BSN, CDE, supervisor of the Diabetes Education Program, and Charlene Sherman, RD, CDE, dietitian, will be present to address questions and concerns related to dealing with diabetes. The Diabetes Education Program focuses on assisting medical management with education in the key areas of understanding diabetes, treatment care plan, medication, meal planning, exercise and blood glucose monitoring.

Light refreshments will be served. To reserve a seat, call 419-690-8774.

Celebrating one year
Memorial Hospital’s Herbert-Perna Center for Physical Health will celebrate its one year anniversary Oct. 12 from noon to 3 p.m. The center is located at 710 Cleveland Avenue, Fremont.

The center, home of Memorial Hospital’s physical medicine program and occupational health program, Health Link, features a therapeutic pool, fully equipped fitness and rehabilitation area, pediatric gym and more.

Light refreshments will be served and everyone who stops by the open house will get a free gift. In addition, flu shots are available to people age 4 and older for a fee of $25, payable by cash, check or Medicare. (If you are covered by Medicare, please bring your card.)

Medicine take-back
Do you have unwanted medication around your home? Help protect your family, community and environment by properly disposing of them. Never flush or pour unwanted medicine down the drain. Instead, bring your expired and unwanted medication to a special Medication Take-Back event at Memorial Hospital in Fremont.

Medications may be brought to the Herbert-Perna Center for Physical Health, located on the campus of Memorial Hospital at 715 S. Taft Avenue, Fremont Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon. This event is a drive-up and drop off event.

Medications that may be dropped include prescription medications, non-prescription medications, pet medications, pills, liquids, ointments, creams and lotions (keep medications in original containers if possible). Narcotics, sleeping pills and codeine will not be accepted, nor will used syringes, inhalers, chemotherapy medications and other drugs in aerosol containers.

For more information, call the Sandusky River Watershed Coalition at 419-334-6016.

Free developmental screening
Free developmental screenings for children ages 3-5 will be offered Nov. 1 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Brunner Elementary School, 1224 West Street, Genoa.

Children will be evaluated in the following areas: gross/fine motor skills; concept development, hearing (pure tone/impedance); and speech/language development.

Appointments are required. Call Julie at the Ottawa County Health Department at 1-800-788-8803 by Oct. 23 to make an appointment.

The event is sponsored by Genoa Schools, Erie-Huron-Ottawa Educational Service Center, Ottawa County Health Department and WSOS Program of Ottawa County.

Disabilities awareness
Terra Community College is honoring National Disabilities Awareness Month in October with a disabilities awareness event, which will be open to the public.

“Focus on Disabilities,” which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 23 on the Terra campus, will feature a keynote speaker, breakout sessions, round table discussions, vendor displays and an art exhibit.

“We’re very excited about the program we have assembled for the event,” said Ron Dannemiller, coordinator of Learning Support Services at Terra. “We hope everyone leaves with the message that we should focus on people’s abilities, not their disabilities.”

Will McDaniel, a comedian from Bowling Green, will kick off the day with a keynote presentation about his experiences. A graduate of Bowling Green State University, McDaniel is a veteran of the U.S. Army and has toured with Big Laughs Comedy Tour and has been part of Operation Belly Laughs.

Breakout sessions will include:

11 to 11:50 a.m.: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD) and Bi-Polar Disorders, Deafness and Coping with Blindness.

Noon to 12:50 p.m.: Exploring Abilities Through Art, Asperger Syndrome, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD) and Bi-Polar Disorders Roundtable Discussion.

2 to 2:50 p.m.: Learning Disabilities, Exploring Abilities Through Art Roundtable Discussion and Asperger Syndrome.

While the event is free and open to the public, organizers request those interested in attending register by calling Ron at 419-559-2342 by Oct. 15.

Free skin cancer screenings
Bay Park Community Hospital will host a free skin cancer screening for the public Nov. 7 from 9 to 11:15 a.m. in the hospital’s Professional Office Building, Suite 100.

The screenings, led by board-certified dermatologist Harvey L. Handler, M.D., will take only take a few minutes. Space is limited to 50 people. Call 419-690-7675 to schedule.

Flu shot clinic
In conjunction with the Lucas County Health Department, the East Toledo Senior Activities Center will offer flu and pneumonia shots Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those attending should enter at the back ramped entrance of the center, located at 1001 White St., East Toledo.

Vaccines will be given on a first-come, first-served basis; reservations will not be accepted.

The clinic is open to all high-risk senior citizens. The health department will bill Medicare/Medicaid. For those not covered by these insurances, the cost is $20 for the flu shot and $40 for the pneumonia shot.