Health Notes
Cape Coral
Medicare enrollment
The Lake Kennedy Senior Center presents a Medicare enrollment “one to one” session from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today. For an appointment, call 574-0575. Walk-ins welcome. SHINE volunteers will be available to answer Medicare questions or help to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan. All services are free. The Lake Kennedy Senior Center is located at 400 Santa Barbara Blvd. For information, call 574-0575.
Friendship Cafe
Daily hot lunches are provided at 11 Lee County “Friendship Cafes” to people over 60 and volunteers of all ages. The cafes also offer free exercise programs, arts and crafts, and more. The local Friendship Cafe is located at the Lake Kennedy Senior Center, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd., and is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Reservations for meals are required 24 hours in advance. A $3 donation is suggested to help cover the cost of the meals, however no one is denied a meal if unable to donate. Membership to the center is not required. For information, call 574-0572.
Rhythm in Motion Dance Academy
Yoga classes are now being held at the Rhythm In Motion Dance Academy. Brucie, Doris and Judi of the Purusha Center offer several yoga classes per week. The Rhythm In Motion Dance Academy is located at 3333 Del Prado Blvd. The center can be contacted at rhythminmotion05@aol.com. The academy’s new Web site is: www.capedance.com.
Destiny Diaper Bank
Destiny Diaper Bank has a list of 40 local babies in need of a crib, mattress and sheets. Cash donations or items can be mailed or delivered to Destiny Diaper Bank, 1510 S.E. 46th Lane, Cape Coral, FL 33904. Call the Rev. Rebecca Himes at 549-2130 for information.
Fort Myers
Flu, pneumonia shots
The Visiting Nurses Association of Southwest Florida will provide flu and pneumonia shots from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. today at its office, 3653 Central Ave., Fort Myers. VNA will bill Medicare Part B for covered beneficiaries. Bring in the Medicare card. The charges are as follows: flu shot, $30; pneumonia shot, $40. VNA is a non-profit home health agency serving Southwest Florida for more than 42 years. For information, call 337-4848 or visit: www.visitingnjrseswfl.com.
Life Line Screening
Life Line Screening will be at the Villas Wesleyan Church on Monday. The complete screening package now includes a new heart rhythm screening which checks for irregular heartbeat, a major risk factor for stroke. Register for a wellness package with heart rhythm for $199. All five screenings take 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Pre-registration is required. For information regarding the screenings or to schedule an appointment, call 800-697-9721 or visit the Web site at: www.lifelinescreening.com.
12th Annual Candlelight Vigil
In 2008, at least 15 homeless individuals lost their lives while living on the streets or in shelters in Lee County. The Lee County Homeless Coalition’s 12th Annual Candlelight Vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 21 on the steps of the Old Lee County Courthouse, 2120 Main St., Fort Myers. The vigil mourns those who have died while living on the streets or in shelters, and it educates communities that the lack of affordable housing shelter, living wages and accessible health care is a problem that must be addressed. The vigil will include opening remarks by Janet Bartos, coordinator of the Lee County Homeless Coalition, and Allan Bratton, chairman of the Community Awareness and Education Task Force. The Rev. Robert Browning will provide prayer and Christian Allmendinger will perform Taps. For information, call 533-7948 or check the Web at: www.leehomeless.org.
Habitat for Humanity of Lee County
Habitat for Humanity of Lee County is increasing its production in the community by adding a new maintenance division to its homebuilding experience. The department is available to any individual or corporate entity throughout Lee and Hendry counties. It will offer lawn mowing services at monthly rates of $60 for a double lot and $70 for triple lots. All others will be assessed below market value. Habitat is also offering cleaning services and other handyman tasks. For information on how to hire the Habitat for Humanity maintenance crew, call the Habitat office at 652-0434, ext. 1208. Habitat for Humanity of Lee County is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in Lee County. So far, Habitat has built more than 900 homes in Lee County since 1982. Through the use of volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds simple, decent housing for families who otherwise could not afford it. Homes are sold to the homeowners at no profit on an interest-free mortgage, making home ownership an affordable reality.
‘Menopause The Musical Out Loud’
Breaking the silence of ovarian cancer, “Menopause The Musical Out Loud,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Barbara B. Mann Center. “Menopause The Musical Out Loud” brings together four women at a department store lingerie sale. A sisterhood is created between these diverse women as they realize that menopause is no longer the silent passage. The presenter of the show, the Jeanie C. Linders Fund, will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Florida Gulf Coast. For reservations, call 481-4849 or visit: www.bbmannpah.com.
Start! Heart Walk
The American Heart Association’s Start! Heart Walk for the Lee County area will be held Saturday. The walk is a healthy, fun, family event. It promotes exercise as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle and raises funds for research and programs to fight cardiovascular diseases. These diseases are the nation’s number one killer, claiming nearly a million American lives a year – more than the next five leading causes of death combined.
National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month
December has been declared National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. With the holidays just around the corner, the Lee County Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida would like to warn parents of the dangers of Alcopops and Alcoholic energy drinks. A new risk for teens is Alcopops. Sweetened alcoholic beverages that are often bubbly and fruit flavored, they are especially popular with girls. They do not taste, smell or look like alcohol, but can serve as a transition from soft drinks to alcohol. Youth report alcopops “go down easy.” Alcoholic energy drinks are essential alcopops with added caffeine, and are packaged in cans with brightly colored, flashy designs. The Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida can offer suggestions for parents on how to talk to their teens about underage drinking and its consequences and actions parents can take to help keep the holidays safer.