National Home Safety Month

During June, the Home Safety Council (HSC) is working educate and motivate families to take actions that will increase the safety of their homes. You can help spread the word by joining the Hands on Home Safety Campaign. It's easy!

The Home Safety Council has created ready-made home safety resources that you can share with family members, your community members, employees/coworkers and many more to help encourage people to take a hands-on approach to making their homes safer this June.

To learn more or to access the free resources visit Home Safety Council www.homesafetycouncil.org

National Great Outdoors Month

Great Outdoors Month helps to highlight the benefits of spending time and volunteering outside to individuals, families, communities and the nation. For example, through recreational activities such as fishing, biking, hiking and nature watching, we can enjoy the outdoors while maintaining a healthier lifestyle. In addition, volunteerism for environmental education programs, local parks, and nature conservancies helps to sustain park trails, restore wildlife habitats, and protect our environment for future generations.

June 2011 will be the eighth annual Great Outdoors Month celebration.

In addition, June 11, 2011, is National Get Outdoors Day: GO Day is an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun.

To learn more visit American Recreation Coalition www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org

Check out the Resources section of this newsletter to find outdoor spaces to explore, enjoy and get involved. 

National Safety Month

Each June, the National Safety Council encourages organizations to get involved and participate in National Safety Month. Each week carries a theme that brings attention to critical safety issues.

2011 Themes and Dates

Week 1   June 1-4        Kick Off

Week 2   June 5-11      Prevent Overexertion

Week 3   June 12-18    Teen Driving Safety

Week 4   June 19-25    Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls

Week 5   June 26-30    On the Road, Off the Phone

To learn more visit National Safety Council  www.ncs.org

National Headache Awareness Week June 1-7

National Trails Day June 4

Since 1993, the first Saturday of every June is known as National Trails Day, inspiring the public and trail enthusiasts nationwide to seek out, discover, learn about, and celebrate America's trail system.

National Trails Day evolved from the 1987 report of President Ronald Reagan's President's Commission on Americans Outdoors. The report recommended that Americans should be able to walk out their front doors and within 15 minutes, be on trails that take them through their cities or towns and bring them back without retracing any steps. The recommendation, also known as Trails for All Americans, inevitably motivated several public and private parties to join the American Hiking Society in launching National Trails Day in 1993.

Trails are also a great way to increase one's health. Whether you walk, jog, or bike, moving around will get the heart pumping, muscles flexing, and lungs expanding. With obesity rates on the rise, trails not only bring about an inexpensive way to exercise, they also do so in a serene and calming environment.

To learn more visit American Hiking Society  www.americanhiking.org

Check out the Resources section of this newsletter to find outdoor spaces to explore and enjoy. 

National Cancer Survivors Day  June 5

National Cancer Survivors Day^® is an annual, treasured worldwide Celebration of Life that is held in hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada, and other participating countries. Participants unite in a symbolic event to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful and productive.

In most areas, National Cancer Survivors Day is traditionally observed on the first Sunday in June, although this is not always possible due to scheduling conflicts and time differences.

The non-profit National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation supports hundreds of hospitals, support groups, and other cancer-related organizations that host National Cancer Survivors Day events in their communities by providing free guidance, education, and networking. 

To learn more visit National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation  www.ncsdf.org

National Men's Health Week June 13-19

The purpose of Men's Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

This week gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. 

To learn more visit National Men's Health Network  www.menshealthweek.org

World Blood Donor Day June 14

On 14 June 2011, countries worldwide will celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2011 is, "More blood. More life." This theme reinforces the urgent need for more people all over the world to become life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly.

To learn more visit www.wbdd.org

Wellness Team Corner

Americans participated in the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) second National Prescription Drug Take-Back event on April 30th and turned in more than 376,593 pounds or the equivalence of 188 tons of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal.  There were take-back sites in all 50 states.  This is 55% more than the 242,000 pounds (121 tons) brought in during last September's event. 

In Maine, 11,920 pounds or 6 tons of medications were collected, up by 52%  over the September 25, 2010 event where 7,820 pounds were collected.  Maine ranked #1 per capita for the total collection effort.  This effort not only helped reduce prescription drug abuse and diversion but it also protected our environment. 

In Maine, these collection efforts are a collaboration of law enforcement agencies with local organizations, coalitions, local Healthy Maine Partnerships and Drugfree Coalitions like Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) and Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).  

If you missed the April 30th event and have medications you no longer need or want in your home there are a number of collection sites in southern Kennebec County.  The following police departments have secure medication drop boxes and accept unwanted and outdated personal and veterinarian medications for disposal from the public any day their lobby is open:   

                     * Augusta Police Department, 33, Union Street  

                     * Gardiner Police Department, 6 Church Street  

                     * Winthrop Police Department, 15 Town Hall Lane 

                     * Kennebec Sheriff's Office, 125 State Street, Augusta   

Healthier Entrepreneurs Corner by Bill McPeck 

Resources

Website -  www.thequitlink.com

Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/QuitLink

Twitter page - http://twitter.com/quitlink

Medication Drop Boxes:

The following police departments have secure medication drop boxes and accept unwanted and outdated personal and veterinarian medications for disposal from the public any day their lobby is open:  

• Augusta Police Department, 33, Union Street
• Gardiner Police Department, 6 Church Street
• Winthrop Police Department, 15 Town Hall Lane
• Kennebec Sheriff's Office, 125 State Street, Augusta 

Hallowell Police Department is accepting medications to be disposed but the site does not have a drop box. 

Educational Resources:

Wellness Council of Maine

Save the Date: October 13 and 14th for the  Annual Workplace Wellness Symposium

Location: Sunday River, Bethel, Maine

For the full list of Wellness Council of Maine training opportunities visit www.wellnesscouncilofmaine.org/images/stories/2011stateeventsweb.pdf

Southern Maine Wellness Council

For a full list of Southern Maine Wellness Council training opportunities visit www.mmc.org/lifeline_body.cfm?id=7119  

For More information contact: Thomas Downing, Director

Lifeline Workplace Wellness Program

Maine Medical Center

Division of Community and Prevention Medicine

Falmouth, ME  04105

P: 207-782-1545

E: downit@mmc.org

W: www.mmc.org/lifelinewellness

Kennebec Valley Entrepreneurial Network

KVEN is a regional effort supported by entrepreneurs, service providers, educational institutions, business organizations and individuals who believe that entrepreneurship is the key to prosperity for Kennebec and Somerset Counties.

KVEN meets every six weeks, the next event will be at UMA, June 29, 5:30-7:00pm.

In addition, you are invited to join the online community on 'LinkedIn.'  Just go to www.linkedin.com and register to become part of the LinkedIn online community.  Once you are registered, go to the top of the menu bar and click on 'Groups'.  Type in Kennebec Valley Entrpreneurial Network and become a member of the group.   As a KVEN LinkedIn member, please use the site to ask questions, provide links to entrepreneurial content and to connect with others throughout the Kennebec Valley who are passionate about entrepreneurship!  

For more information about events or to learn more about the exciting things happening at the Kennebec Valley Entrepreneurial Network, please contact Ken Young, 453-4258 ext 16, kyoung@kvcog.org or Shelley Payne, 453-4258 ext 19, spayne@kvcog.org 

Webinars, Webcasts, Reports and White Papers:

Wellsteps  new.wellsteps.com/resources/webinars

Fisher and Phillips  www.laborlawyers.com/news.aspx?webinars-library&show=11118

National Wellness Institute  www.nationalwellness.org/index.php?id_tier128

WELCOA  www.welcoa.org

Bucks Consultants   www.bucksconsultants.com

Human Nature @ Work  David Lee www.humannatureatwork.com/index.html

Health Promotion Live  healthpromotionlive.com/category/upcoming_webinars/

MSAD #11 is now partnering with Learning Resources Network (LERN) to offer online courses and certificate programs.

Certificate Programs Include:

• eMarketing Essentials
• Social Media for Business
• Green Buildings and Preparing for the LEED Exam
• Business Research
• Supervisory and Leadership
• Virtual Meeting Planner
• Online Teaching

Individual Course Include:

• Digital Brochures
• Green Workplace
• Entrepreneur Book Camp
• Practical Math for the Workplace
• Your Company, Your Employees and the Law
• Mentoring and Coaching in the Workplace
• Courses for K-12 Teacher

For more information or to register, contact Diann Bailey, Director MSAD #11 Adult Education

Phone: 582-3774

Email: dbailey@msad11.org

Physical Activity Resources:

Heart 360

Heart 360 is a convenient and secure location for you to track and manage your heart health.  Record your health data with Heart 360  online trackers, access additional information and resources on how to be heart healthy, and even share your results with your healthcare provider.

To learn more visit www.heart360.org

Start!

Start! is the American Heart Association's program to get Americans walking to improve heart health.  Now Start! introduces a fast and easy way to create your own offical America Heart Association Start! Walking Path, right where you live.  Create a special path online so others in your community can find a safe, accessible and low-cost place to get physical activity.  After you create your path online, mark it with the offical Start! walking path sign.  To check out how to create your path online and mark it, visit startwalkingnow.org 

Trail Finding Resources:

Healthy Maine Walks www.healthymainewalks.org

Move More www.movemore.org

Healthy Communities of the Capital Area www.healthycommunitiesme.org

Maine Trail Finder  www.mainetrailfinder.com

Maine State Park Trails www.trails.com/state-park-trails.aspx?keyword=state%20park&state=ME

Kennebec Land Trust  www.tklt.org

Kennebec Rail Trail www.krrt.org

Viles Arboretum   www.vilesarboretum.org

Trails  www.trails.com

Substance Abuse Resources:

Does Someone You Know Have an Opioid Addiction?

There is help

Free meetings to learn more about:

*Addiction      *Medication-assisted Treatment      *Recovery

Monthly meetings are held in Waterville and Augusta

Waterville                                                                Augusta

The Eskelund Center at the Maine                            The Unitarian Universalist Church

Generally the second Wednesday at 12:30 pm          Generally the Third Tuesday at 12:00 pm

For More Information:                                               For More Information:

Jayne Harper 621-3740                                            Jayne Harper 621-3740

Brenda Radel 872-7272                                            Helen Pare 266-8881

All Recovery Support Meetings

Sponsored by the Maine Recovery Communities Coalition.  All Recovery Support Meetings welcome people from every addiction recovery pathway.  Meetings are free of charge.

When:  Thurdsdays

Where: Green Street Methodist Church, 14 Green Street, Augusta

For more information call Deb Dettor at 458-4366 or Peter Wohl at 626-3448

Find a Meeting Near You:

To find Alcohol Anonymous, Al Anon, Cocaine Anonymous, Co Anon, Narcotics Anonymous and Narcotics Anon meetings near your visit www.usrecovery.info/AA/Maine.htm

Health Risk Assessment Resource:

KeepMEWell

To take the free, easy, private health risk assessment visit www.keepmewell.org

The goals of KeepMeWell are to assist Maine adult residents to:

* Assess their risk for chronic disease

* Receive feedback that promotes action to address identified health risks

* Link to local community resources that assist residents in taking action to lower their risk for disease and improve their health

*Link uninsured and underinsured residents to healthcare services at no cost or slide scale cost

KeepMEWell is a free public service offered by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), Maine Department of Health and Human Services.  No personal information about individuals will be collected.  Only the individual will decide what to do with their personal results.  To participate fully, you will need a computer, internet access and a printer.

One great use of the personal results report is to use it as a conversation starter with your primary healthcare provider to develop a personal health plan with personal goals to address health concerns.

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