STAY HEALTHY: KEEP ALL OF US WELL

The H1N1 flu virus is getting a lot of attention.  Our first concern at WVC is keeping you healthy.  And our second concern is keeping our community healthy, as well. 

Volunteers take their work seriously, which makes us proud.  However, none of us can afford to get sick, to spread the flu, or not to fully recover if we are sick.  Don’t be afraid of the flu, be sensible.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE – cough or sneeze into your sleeve, wash your hands frequently, and STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK.  Get a seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 inoculation (once it becomes available) if you are on the at-risk list. 

While we don’t know when or even if the flu will arrive nor how severe it might be when it arrives, Whatcom County is preparing for a serious public health situation. If you would like to help our community respond, should the H1N1 flu appear here, the Whatcom County Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) is recruiting volunteers with medical or public health backgrounds (retired, active or students) to help combat a potential outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus. The MRC is a nationwide network of organized volunteers who make themselves available to assist in strengthening the health and safety of their communities. In Whatcom County, MRC members are identified to assist the County Health Department by teaching flu prevention, answering phones in a telephone triage center, and caring for patients in an Alternative Care Facility. 

Dawnette Chadwick, coordinator of the local MRC, explained that “potential volunteers include physicians, nurses, paramedics/EMTs, mental health providers, pharmacists, dentists, nursing assistants, veterinarians, respiratory therapists, epidemiologists, health care educations, interpreters, logistical support, clerical staff and almost anyone who feels they have something to offer.”  She went on to explain “our volunteers are provided with free training as well as with liability coverage during those events where we are assigned tasks.”  If you are  interested in supporting community public health activities, regardless of whether licenses or certificates are current or not, please contact Dawnette Chadwick at 360-527-2569.  An application form must be completed and there is an initial orientation to “the corps” before you start your health assignment.

Home Depot Project

By Aly Hoover and Susan Porter

Home Depot approached the Whatcom Volunteer Center in the spring of 2009 to help a Blaine neighbor in need. Without hesitation, the Volunteer Center partnered with the company to renovate the home of the Ness family, who had experienced a tragedy and loss last winter. The planning quickly took place as soon as Home Depot employees got the approval to donate $10,000 to the cause. With their skilled workers and Whatcom’s volunteers, the project was set to span four days from September 8^th to September 11^th, 2009. Community businesses learned of the Ness’s and donations started coming in to assist the volunteers and the family. Each morning volunteers were greeted with Woods Coffee and Costcutter doughnuts. The Olive Garden kept us fed at lunchtime, while the Blaine Foodbank and Trader Joe’s made sure the family had their new cabinets stocked. Wilson Motors made a generous contribution to the Ness’s, and several other donated furniture and other necessities.

Flash forward to the last day of the project, Friday, September 11^th. After four days of hard labor, it was the culmination of our time renovating the Ness Family’s home. Home Depot, Whatcom Volunteer Center staff, and community volunteers all pitched in during the final hours to make the unveiling special- some arriving at 5:30 in the morning to finish the deck, landscaping and moving furniture. We kept fueled by Woods Coffee and our encroaching deadline.

Only an hour and a half later than planned, the donated Penske truck was carefully positioned so the family couldn’t see the finished house from the road. The excitement from the small crowd of volunteers wasn’t dimmed by their weariness after nine hours painting, hammering, lifting, positioning, hauling, shoveling, planting and cleaning. After an interminable amount of time, probably 7 or 8 minutes, the truck was slowly moved to the side and the Ness family gazed upon their newly renovated home for the first time. The next 20 minutes were filled with a tour of the home and yard, presentations, pictures and interviews. The family was openly astonished at the improvements and grateful to all who participated. There were tears from both the family and the Home Depot volunteers. Neighbors and friends came by to look and offer congratulations and after a final group picture with workers and family, some of us packed up and went home while others stayed to talk to the family and share their stories. And, there was pizza (graciously donated by Little Ceasars) so that there was incentive for the weary volunteers to stay a little longer and admire their hard work.

Food Banks

Food banks are busy this year, as the demand for help has increased substantially.  WVC has 19 registered partner agencies and 298 volunteers providing food to those in need.  During the first half of this year, 298 volunteers served a total of 21,554 hours, for an average of 72 hours per volunteer at food banks and congregate meal sites.  Volunteers worked in a variety of positions assisting food banks with packing, sorting and securing food donations.  They also helped with distributing and delivering food to individuals and families.

During this period, Bellingham Food Bank reported 8,000 visits each month.  This is a 25% increase from 2008, and the need continues to rise throughout the year.  They deliver 200,000 lbs. of food each month to those in need.  They have added a Food Bank Farm to help meet the demand.  The volunteers work on the farm which produces vegetables for distribution at the Food Bank. 

The Ferndale Food Bank has seen a 10% increase in need, and reports that even the volunteers are now needing help.  They serve 700 to 800 families a month.  They are losing volunteers due to age and health issues, and the director will retire at the end of the year.  Sharon Robinson has volunteered as the director there for over 18 years!  A past WVC intern, Jodee Brinkley, will be taking on Sharon’s duties and will become the new director when Sharon retires.  They need more volunteers so please contact Sharon if you are interested: 380-3314.

The Foothills Food Bank serves Kendall, Glacier, and Sumas.  They are open Tuesdays and are located at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Mt. Baker Highway.  They serve 134 families a week with 5-6 members in each.

The Blaine Food Bank offers more than food distribution—they are the hub for many volunteer projects in their community.  Manager Robin Kendall leads a large group of dedicated volunteers in serving over a thousand households a month.  They have experienced a 30% increase over last year’s need, and somehow manage to meet the need.

At just the Bellingham, Blaine, Lynden, Ferndale, and Foothills food banks, (there are several more in the county) about 17,880 people a month are served.  At 4 people per household, approximately 4470 households are served each month. 

We also have many different forms of community meals served in our county—senior centers, churches, Bellingham Housing Authority meals, and others.  Community meals not only feed hungry people, but give them access to information and services, and help them develop a social network.

The volunteers deliver more than meals—their caring hearts and the time they give has an impact on the people served, too.  These volunteers are mostly people who work at the meal site week after week.  They get to know the needs of the people they serve—even if they don’t speak their language.  They know their names.  They care about protecting the dignity of those who come and treat them with respect.  These volunteers deserve to be celebrated and recognized by all of us.  If you are ever in need of food you will meet these dedicated folks and you will be glad they are there for you.  If you don’t need food, share what you do have and thank the volunteers when you drop it off—they are providing a service for us all.

Help with Flu

The Whatcom County Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) is recruiting volunteers with medical or public health backgrounds (retired, active or students) to help combat a potential outbreak of the H1N1 Flu virus.   The MRC is a nationwide network of organized volunteers who make themselves available to assist in strengthening the health and safety of their communities.  In Whatcom County, MRC members are potentially needed to assist the County Health Department by teaching flu prevention, answering phones in a telephone triage center, and caring for patients in an Alternative Care Facility. 

Individuals interested in supporting community public health activities, regardless of whether licenses or certificates are current or not, should contact Dawnette Chadwick at 360-527-2569.  An application form must be completed and there is an initial orientation to “the corps.” 

Dawnette Chadwick, coordinator of the local group explained that “potential volunteers include physicians, nurses, paramedics/EMT’s, mental health providers, pharmacists, dentists, nursing assistants, veterinarians, respiratory therapists, epidemiologists, health care educations, interpreters, logistical support, clerical staff and almost anyone who feels they have something to offer.”  She went on to explain “our volunteers are provided with free training as well as with liability coverage during those events where we are assigned tasks.”

The Human Race Makes an Impact

Jim Gregory, Blaine Food Bank President, surrounded by food bank volunteers and clients, receives a Human Race check from Joni Tingly and Jan Boykin of the Sixty-Five Sisterhood Helping Hands.

By Randi McKenna, Outreach Coordinator

The morning of July 24was cheerful and sunny as two ladies from the Sixty-Five Sisterhood Helping Hands walked up to the Blaine Food Bank, Human Race check in hand. As a result of the money they raised through The Human Race in June, these two, representatives of their Sixty-Five Sisterhood club were able to hand a check for more than $1,500 to Jim Gregory, President of the Blaine Food Bank.

According to Jim, the Blaine Food Bank serves at least 200 families weekly in the Blaine area, and they will put this money toward feeding them. Not only does the Food Bank help families stay healthy, but it is a central and unifying member of the Blaine nonprofit community. The Food Bank’s efforts and services are widely evident  in Blaine.

The Sixty-Five Sisterhood Helping Hands started as a small group of 1965 Blaine High School graduates. The ladies who walked in the Human Race – Jan Boykin, Joni Tingley, Brooke Finley and Candis Haws – asked Blaine community members, businesses, family, and friends to donate to support  the Blaine Food Bank. Candis said the Human Race was a way for them to focus on raising money for a program they believed in without doing too much organizing themselves. They were tremendously impressed by how much the community chipped in and they thank their family and friends for participating. 

We will definitely see the Sixty-Five Sisterhood at the next Human Race with their matching t-shirts and smiling faces, walking alongside many other incredibly giving Whatcom County citizens.