The Editor:
The Blaine Food Bank is proud to partner with Washington State Department of Health and welcome their “Care-a-Van” free immunization clinic on Friday, March 29 from 9 a.m. to noon, during our regular distribution.
They will also offer blood glucose and blood pressure screening for adults. They will have 2023-24 flu vaccines, as well as 2023-24 Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for adults and pediatrics, childhood vaccines and mpox vaccines. There will also be Narcan kits available.
These vaccines are free to children from six months to 18 years old, and to adults with no insurance. If you have insurance, you could be billed for adult flu and Covid-19 immunizations as service from an out of network provider.
Although ID, pre-registration and immunization records and not required, they are recommended.
If possible, please register at birdseyemedical.com.
If you need your immunization records, this link can send a copy to your phone: waverify.doh.wa.gov.
This is a wonderful opportunity to get those immunizations “out of the way,” and we are grateful for the opportunity to bring them to our community.
Sally Church
Director, Blaine Food Bank
Blaine
The Editor:
What if healthy choices were also ones kids grew up experiencing as fun, easy and accessible?
Dr. Sandhya Gelou’s recent article in The Northern Light about making diabetes prevention a joyful family affair aligns perfectly with the mission of Common Threads.
A hearty hallelujah to her statement, “Setting a new normal can lead to healthier habits for everyone in the family. And, it can be fun!”
This philosophy is at the core of Common Threads’ seed-to-table gardening, cooking and eating programs. Dr. Gelou’s medical perspective reaffirms our commitment to making these programs as accessible as possible to all kids through gardening and cooking classes on school grounds during the school day.
While we can certainly hope that kids are learning about healthy eating and exercise at home, the reality is that not all of them do.
Teaching children to nourish themselves, explicitly incorporating this important life skill into the school curriculum, is a topic that deserves more attention and investment than it gets.
Did you know that although Common Threads currently gardens and cooks with kids in 25 schools across five districts in Whatcom County, not a single one of those schools invests funding in these critical programs? They all count on the goodwill of parents and Common Threads as a nonprofit partner for funding and implementation.
Laying the groundwork for our kids’ lifelong health deserves greater investment at a systemic level. An investment in our children today will bear dividends tomorrow. Isn’t that what we all want?
Laura Plaut
Executive Director, Common Threads
Bellingham
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