Worksite Wellness Newsletter

Worksite Wellness

Newsletter

February 2012

Volume 5 Issue 3

In This Issue

February Health Observances

Healthier Entrpreneurs Corner

Guest Columnist-Jo-Anne Bushey

Places to be Active, Move and Improve and March into May

Resources

Welcome to HCCA's monthly Worksite Wellness e-newsletter which contains general health and wellness information, community information & subjects specific to worksite wellness programs.

This could be one of the last Adult and Worksite Wellness Newsletters published by HCCA. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support over the years.

The Fund for a Healthy Maine, which is the money from the Master Tobacco Settlement and not tax dollars, is the primary funding for HCCA and many other organizations that make up Maine's public health infrastructure. The Fund for a Healthy Maine funds efforts that help prevent costly chronic diseases. Maine is currently ranked 22nd in the nation for its per capita investment in public health, due to this investment and the hard work the State of Maine is the 8th healthiest state. Without the Fund for a Healthy Maine, Maine would fall to 48th for its investment.

Please consider calling your Maine state representatives (click here to find your representatives' contact information: http://maine.gov/legis/house/townlist.htm) to make your opinion known about the proposed cuts to the Fund for a Healthy Maine or write a letter to the editor to inform others of the impending dissolution of Maine's Public Health Infrastructure www.kjonline.com/opinion/letters/. The 10+ year investment in the Healthy Maine Partnerships' prevention work will be abolished at a time when the budget plans for over $160 million less in revenue from income tax cuts. Please share your experiences collaborating with your local HMP, Healthy Communities of the Capital Area.

February Health Observances

American Heart Month

American Heart Month is a month long celebration in the United States that happens every February. The "holiday" was established to urge Americans to recognize the nationwide problem of heart and blood vessel diseases and to support programs that solve the problem.

Risk factors that lead to heart disease:

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Obesity
Physical inactivity
Tobacco use
Family history

Good health habits to help prevent heart disease:

Daily excercise
Eating a balanced diet
Maintaining a healthy weight
Limiting sodium
Avoiding tobacco
Moderating alcohol consumption

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year. That is about 29% of all U.S. deaths. Heart disease is a term that includes several more specific heart conditions. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.

According to the American Heart Association, about 700,000 Americans have an initial heart attack and another 500,000 have a recurrent heart attack each year. To learn more visit www.americanheart.org and www.cdc.gov.

National Wear Red Day - February 3, 2012

On Friday, February 3, 2012, National Wear Red Day®, Americans will wear red to show their support for women's heart health. This observance promotes the Red Dress symbol and provides an opportunity for everyone to unite in The Heart Truth's® life-saving awareness-to-action movement by putting on a favorite red dress, red shirt, red tie, or Red Dress Pin. Together, we will continue to urge women to protect their hearts, as heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

According to a CDC report, almost half of the cardiac deaths occurr before emergency services and hospital treatment could be administered. It is important to recognize the signs of a heart attack and to act immediately by calling 9-1-1. A person's chances of surviving a heart attack are increased if emergency treatment is given to the victim as soon as possible.

The major symptoms of a heart attack are:
* Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back

* Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint

* Chest pain or discomfort

* Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder

* Shortness of breath

Some of the less obvious symptoms include:

* Pounding heart beats or feeling extra heart beats

* Upper abdominal pain

* Nausea, vomiting or severe indigestion

* Sweating for no apparent reason

* Dizziness with weakness

* Sudden extreme fatigue

* Panic with feeling of impending doom

A note about women's milder symptoms - About a third of women experience no chest pain at all when having a heart attack and 71% of women report flu-like symptoms for two weeks to a month prior to having more acute chest discomfort or severe shortness of breath. These milder symptoms are under-reported to emergency room staff.

To learn more or download free materials, visit

www.hearttruth.gov, www.womenheart.org, www.goredforwomen.org/national_wear_red_day.aspx, www.americanheart.org, www.cdc.gov and www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/materials/wear-red-toolkit.htm.

Random Acts of Kindness Week - February 13-19

"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see" ~ Mark Twain

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, own own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." ~ Dalai Lama

ton of love Looking for ideas to launch kindness initiatives in your workplace?

Collect goodies for children to donate to city service workers (e.g., police, firefighters, animal shelter).

Send floral arrangements to senior centers, nursing homes, police station, hospitals, etc. near your office.

Collect goods throughout RAK Week (or during the whole year) for a food bank or shelter.

Give coupons for discounted or free goods to schools to use as incentives for their kindness programs.

If your office has a RAK Week committee, put out a memo to your staff asking for volunteers to help plan and implement the next campaign.

Donate a percentage of your revenue for one day to a group in need.

Donate flowers to a meal delivery program.

Take up a collection to purchase items needed by a nonprofit organization.

Plant a Kindness Tree or Garden on the office grounds. Ask the mayor to give a brief presentation at the dedication.

Organize a blood drive dedicated to Random Acts of Kindness.

Sponsor a Random Acts of Kindness mascot to circulate, distributing gifts and suggestions for acts of kindness.

Hand out suggestions for random acts of kindness to each customer or client, and offer a nominal discount in exchange for their pledge to do an act of kindness.

Give away the first $10 of purchases on a given day or pick a couple of days during RAK Week to do this.

Set up free coffee, tea, or hot chocolate for your employees

Recognize employees for their RAK.

For resources, more ideas or to learn more visit www.actsofkindness.org.

National Condom Awareness Day - February 14

National Condom Month

February 14 is not only Valentine's Day but National Condom Awareness Day. If you look at it rationally, it makes sense to connect condoms and romance. If condoms were regularly used, the number of unintended, surprised or mistimed pregnancies would be greatly reduced. Just as importantly, condoms are the best way to prevent the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases.

Why A National Condom Day? Approximately 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted disease (STD) are contracted every year in the United States: about half among young people 15-24 years of age. The best way to prevent the spreading of sexually transmitted infections is through abstinence or to be in a monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested for STDs.

For more information visit www.ashastd.org and www.bacchusgamma.org.

National Cancer Prevention Month

February is National Cancer Prevention Month. While most efforts focus on diet, exercise and quitting smoking as the core ways to prevent cancer, they neglect to address another pillar of prevention- reducing the exposure to carcinogens in our everyday environments.

Hundreds of carcinogenic chemicals have been identified and unfortunately, they are commonly found in our water, air, food and the products we use everyday. Here are some ways to help you reduce your exposure to them.

1. Reduce exposure to carcinogens in plastics used for storing and serving food. Avoid microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher, because heat may cause chemicals to leach out. Opt for safer plastics - those marked with triangle with the numbers 1, 2, 4, or 5 inside, generally on the bottom of containers. The plastics to avoid are those numbered 3, 6, and 7 unless they are also marked BPA-free.

2. Eat healthy - opt for more whole foods and less foods high in animal fats. Read food nutrition labels.

3. Instead of using toxic pesticides, prevent pests by keeping a clean home. Prevent weeds by using mulch and maintaining a healthy lawn. If you do have a problem, opt for non-toxic methods before reaching for chemicals.

4. Detoxify your beauty routine, personal care products contain a long list of suspect chemicals. Reduce how much you use and to use the Skin Deep database to find the safest products at www.cosmeticdatabase.com/splash.php?URI=/index.php. You can also print pocket guides by visiting http://healthychild.org/live-healthy/pocket_guides/.

5. Use gentle non-toxic cleaners such as castile or regular soap and water or simple kitchen ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda - these have been shown to keep hands and surfaces as free of bacteria as antibacterial cleaners do. To learn more visit www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/green-cleaning.

National Children's Dental Health Month

Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

Whether you're a member of the dental team, a teacher or a parent, the ADA has free online resources that can help you with oral health presentations, ideas for the classroom and coloring and activity sheets that can be used as handouts. To learn more visit www.ada.org.

Wise Health Consumer Month

The event was established by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine to give more visibility to the importance of medical self-care and wise consumer programs. The aim of the program is to encourage people to carefully choose medical professionals, insurance, food, health products and healthy lifestyles.

10 Tips for Being a Wise Health Care Consumer

1. Take the time to carefully select a doctor or health care provider. Ask friends or relatives for recommendations. Investigate whether or not the doctor participates with your health insurance plan.

2. Prepare for visits to your health care provider by compiling lists of questions or concerns you wish to discuss during your appointment. By making the most of the time you have, you can avoid unnecessary calls and repeat visits.

3. Ask questions about medications you are prescribed. Understand why you are taking it and how it should be taken. Finish all medications, even if you are feeling better.

4. Keep a checklist of all medications you are taking and share this list with your health care provider. This is especially important if you are seeing more than one doctor.

5. Be aware of routine medical tests and examinations, and the recommended times to have them. You may be able to avoid unnecessary and expensive tests.

6. Use home medical tests when available. They are less costly and can be used without a visit to the doctor.

7. Keep a well stocked home pharmacy with commonly used medicinal items. This can help you deal with common problems and save costly trips to the doctor or emergency room.

8. Understand your health insurance plan. A list of basic questions about what is covered and knowing the answers to these questions can save time and money,

9. Take care of your mental health as well as you would your physical health. States of emotional upset can interfere with daily living routines, and can ultimately affect you physical well being.

10. Keep a list of health agencies handy as a reference. Most are available by phone, fax or email and can serve as a resource for free information and support.

To learn more visit www.healthylife.com.

Healthier Entrepreneurs Corner

by Bill McPeck

Don't spend your health now to gain wealth that you will only need to spend later to regain your health.

This Month's Question: Why does my success have to be at the price of my health and happiness?

In the February 2012 edition of the Success magazine, there is a story about the TV reality show Shark Tank. I have never seen the show, but as I read the article, my blood began to boil. The article suggests that to achieve success, you must sacrifice everything else. Is success really worth this price?

If I understand the show's concept correctly, entrepreneurs are selected by the show's producers to pitch their business concepts to the sharks who then decide whether to invest in the entrepreneur's business. The so called sharks are: Kevin O'Leary, Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran and Robert Herjavec.

As a worksite wellness and well-being thought leader and strategist, what particularly concerned me was two of the story's concluding three paragraphs. These two paragraphs stated: "The sharks agree that entrepreneurs have to be willing to sacrifice a lot until a new business starts to succeed." Mark Cuban is quoted as saying, "If you are not dreaming about it, if your relationships aren't being injured by it, you know, if you are not tired, you are not working hard enough."

Kevin O'Leary is quoted as saying, "I love working with young people who are willing to sacrifice everything for success. I am talking about people who are willing to give up their marriages just to make the business successful. They are willing to live like hermits and work for 20 hours a day if that is what it takes."

I have been a W-2 employee all of my professional career. Therefore, maybe I am more of a wantrepreneur than a true entrepreneur. However, it just does not make any sense to me that in order to achieve success you have to sacrifice your health and happiness. There has to be a better way.

As human beings, I believe we both want and need happiness and success. Our current societal operating model, known as Blank Slate, puts success ahead of happiness. Blank Slate states that once you achieve success, you will be happy. Recent positive psychology research has, however, proven otherwise. Happiness precedes success. If you can achieve happiness, success will follow.

For the past two years, I have been studying the happiness and success model put forth by Mike Jay. Mike is an international business and leadership developmentalist who has consulted and coached managers and executives in 47 countries. Originally from Nebraska, Mike now lives in Manila, Philippines where he believes he can better capitalize on the near east and Asian demographic growth curves.

In Mike's model, known as Flawless Living, hat makes us happy is inborn and unique to each of us. What we view as success is usually determined by sources and forces outside ourselves, what Mike refers to as a composite success standard. This creates a gap that Mike refers to as the happiness - success gap. Traditionally, we try to close the gap by changing ourselves, more often than not, without success. As Mike is fond of saying, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you will." In Flawless Living, closing the gap involves the use of strategies other than personal change.

If you think about it, the current entrepreneurial model, where 90 percent of the start-ups fail within five years, is obviously flawed. I am not suggesting that entrepreneurial success should not require passion, focus and hard work, only that it should not require the loss of either health or happiness. The good life should include happiness, success and health. To achieve the good life, you should not have to sacrifice neither happiness, health or success.

Got a question? Send it to Bill at william.c.mcpeck@maine.gov. Bill McPeck is a health, wellness and safety expert with training as a social worker and personal coach, as well as holding professional certifications in worksite wellness and work-life balance. Bill is currently Director of Employee Health and Safety for Maine State Government.

Guest Columnist-Jo-Anne Bushey

tdes logo

How much does diabetes and its life threatening risk factors cost your company?
Do your employees report high out-of-pocket health care expenses?
Are health plan members with chronic conditions asking for wellness programs that met their special needs?

Telephonic Diabetes Education & Support© Programs (tdes©) reaches all these targets!

Medical Care Development, Inc. (www.mcd.org), partners with employers and their health plans to offer three tdes©programs that help employees, early retirees, and adult dependents overcome barriers to managing their diabetes. Participants self-select services from 25 Maine hospital-based diabetes programs.

tdes©is a 12-month program for adults over 18, not on Medicare, being treated for Type 1, Type 2 diabetes or Prediabetes. tdes©/+Cardiovascular Disease (tdes©/+CVD) is for persons coping with diabetes and high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. Experienced and certified professional diabetes educators offer services via monthly telephone calls following the first in-person enrollment visit.

Employer Benefits:

Increased Productivity
Decreased Absenteeism, Hospitalizations and ER Use
Decreased Spending

- The State of Maine Office of Employee Health and Benefits reported:

2008 ROI: average COST SAVINGS

of $1,300/participant/year

2009 ROI: significantly HIGHER medication adherence and

use of preventative care.

Employee Benefits:

No pharmacy co-payments for Diabetes Supplies, Medications, and Cardiovascular Medications during program participation.
Savings between $200 and $400/year or more
Individualized and Convenient Services
Increased Knowledge and Confidence for Self-care
Improved Health and Health Care

Satisfied Customers tell us tdes©is a good choice...
"They signed on for the Savings and stayed for the Services!

To learn how tdes©can help you reach your employee health targets contact:

Jo-Anne Bushey, R.N., M.S.N

MCD Project Manager

e-mail jbushey@mcd.org or call 207 622-7566 ext 223

Indoor Walking Opportunities

The following locations are open to the public for walking now through April 1, 2012

Gardiner Area High School 2:30-4:30pm, school days
Gardiner Regional Middle School 6:00-7:00am, school days
Laura E. Richards School, Gardiner 7:00-7:30am, school days
Longfellow's Greenhouses, Manchester 8:00am - 5:00pm, Mon-Sat
Marcia Buker School, Richmond 3:00-5:00pm, school days
Pittston Consolidated School 6:00-7:00am, school days
River View Community School, S. Gardiner 6:00-7:00am, school days
T.C.Hamlin School Gym, Randolph 6:00-7:30am, school days

Move and Improve

Move and Improve of EMHS (Eastern Maine Healthcare System) is a free 12 week online community-based program designed to encourage and empower individuals to engage in a healthier lifestyle through physical activity. Move and Improve provides a supportive environment focused on promoting the benefits of physical activity as a way to combat health risks linked to chronic disease and obesity. To learn more visit www.moveandimprove.org

March into May

March into May is a free, 10 week, community based motivational program designed to help participants get more out of life by improving their health through increased physical activity. for more information visit www.marchintomay.org

Resources:

Tobacco Cessation:

Maine Tobacco Helpline - It is Free - It is Confidential and it Works!

HelpLine quitlink

Website - www.thequitlink.org

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

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

Tobacco Intervention Basic Skills Trainings and Other Trainings:

Mar 13, 2012 Spectacular Events, Bangor

Apr 2, 2012 Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland

Level 1 Motivational Interviewing (MI) with Steve Andrew, LCSW, LADC, BCD

Feb 28, 2012 MaineHealth, 110 Free Street, Portland

Webinars: Supplemental training to the Basic Skills Trainings

(web-based trainings 11:00 am to 12:00 pm)

Mar 7, 2012 Smokeless Tobacco

Prerequisite: Completion of the Tobacco Intervention: Basic Skills Training

Intensive Tobacco Treatment Training and Conference

Apr 30-May 3, 2012 Wyndham Airport Hotel, South Portland

Prerequisite: Completion of the Tobacco Intervention: Basic Skills Training

Maine Helpers Program Train-the-Trainer

Training provides practical skills and information for both nonclinical professionals and nonprofessional lay helpers who have a desire assist Maine residents with quitting tobacco.

Mar 14, 2012 Black Bear Inn, Orono

For more information on any of these trainings, call Becky Hendrix at 662-7122 or visit www.tobaccofreemaine.org

Medication Drop Boxes:

The following law enforcement agencies 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.

If you are unable to get to any of these sites to safety dispose your unwanted medications Kennebec Sheriff's Office will pick them up. For more information call KSO at 623-2270.

Educational Resources:

Wellness Council of Maine

For a full listing of Wellness Council of Maine training opportunities visit: www.wellnesscouncilofmaine.org

Contact Willow Sherwood

email: director@wellnesscouncilofmaine.org

Telephone: 207-947-0307

Southern Maine Wellness Council

For a full listing 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: 207-781-1545

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.

In additon to regular meetings that take place every six weeks, 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 Entrepreneurial Network and become a member of the group. For more information about events or to learn more about KVEN, please contact Ken Young, 453-4258, ext 16, kyoung@kvcog.org or Shelley Payne, 453-4258 ext 19, spayne@kvcog.org

Other Entrpreneurial Resources:

Women, Work and Community's 60 hour intensive business class, New Ventures, for more information email jenn.dobransky@maine.edu

Small Business Administration (SBA) www.sba.gov

Western Kennebec County Economic Development Alliance www.wkeda.com/

Kennebec Valley Council of Governments www.kvcog.gov

Maine Department of Economic & Community Development www.maine.gov/decd/

Institute for Family-owed Business http://fambusiness.org/

Husson University's Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business www.husson.edu/index.php?cat_id=296

Webinars, Webcasts, Reports and White Papers

Bucks Consultants www.bucksconsultants.com

Fisher and Phillips www.laborlawyers.com

Health Promotion Live healthpromotionlive.com

Human Nature @ Work David Lee www.humannatureatwork.com

Institute for Health and Productivity Management www.ihpm.org

National Wellness Institute www.nationalwellness.org

WELCOA www.welcoa.org

Wellsteps new.wellsteps.com

Learning Resources Network (LERN) at MSAD #11 (RSU #11) For more information or to register, contact Diann Bailey, Director MSAD #11 Adult Education, Telephone 207-582-3774,

email: dbailey@msad11.org

Safety Works!

SafetyWorks! can help you prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths and reduce related costs. Our services are free and confidential and we don't issue fines or citations.

Safety Works! help keep workers safe and healthy. And we help businesses thrive, because you will save 4-6 dollars for every dollar you invest in safety. The old adage is true - it pays to be safe!

SafetyWorks! specializes in practical solutions to help make workplaces safer and healthier. They want your workplace to be as safe and healthy as possible. To learn more visit http://safetyworksmaine.com/

TDES-Telephonic Diabetes Education & Support

Offers individuals with diabetes another option in managing their diabetes without the hassle of transportation issues. Worksites looking to offer TDES as a benefit or to learn more call Jo-Anne Bushey at 622-7566 extension 223 or visit www.tdes.me

Healthy Lifestyles Resources:

SparkPeople

A FREE online site that offers free nutrition and exercise trackers, recipes, shopping lists, online communities to join, and health information. Members set goals and can receive online support. To learn more or join visit www.sparkpeople.com

Live Strong

This FREE online site tracks daily food intake, using MyPlate for Diabetes and non-diabetes, exercise and weight, includes detailed exercise routine, calculates body mass index (BMI) and recommended daily caloric intake based weight, height, weight loss goals, activity levels, etc for FREE. To learn more or to join visit www.livestrong.com

Fit Day

A FREE online site where members can calculate and record daily food intake and exercise, track weight loss and monitor goals. To learn more or join visit www.fitday.com

USDA SuperTracker

The USDA has created a tool for tracking food intake, physical activity and balancing the two. To learn more visit www.choosemyplate.gov

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. To learn more visit startwalkingnow.org

America On the Move

America On the Move (AOM) is an evidence-based nonprofit dedicated to help you take small steps and make small lifestyle changes for a healthier way of life. This site contains health information, eating, walking, healthy lifestyle tracking programs and health assessments. To learn more visit www.americaonthemove.org

Couch to 5K

Many of the sites I work with are promoting Couch to 5K, a beginner's running schedule has helped thousands of new runners get off the couch and onto the roads, running 3 miles in just two months. To learn more visit www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

My Fitness Pal

This free resource lets you track the food you eat and the exercise you participate in on their website or with free mobile apps: www.myfitnesspal.com

Nutrition Education

Learn more about portion size, balanced meals, and get healthy eating tips at www.choosemyplate.gov

Overeaters Anonymous

OA is a twelve step program for people with problems related to food. To learn more or to find a meeting near you visit www.oa.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 Parks Trails www.trails.com/state-park-trails.aspx?keyword=state%20park&state=ME

Kennebec Land Trust www.tklt.org

Kennebec River 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?

Free monthly meetings to learn about addiction, medication-assisted treatment and recovery

Augusta:

Meetings are held the third Tuesday at noon at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 69 Winthrop Street. For more information call Jayne Harper at 621-3740 or Helen Pare at 266-8881

Waterville:

Meetings are at 12:30 pm at the Eskelund Center at the Maine Children's Home, 93 Silver Street, Waterville, for more information call Jayne Harper at 621-3740 or Brenda Radel at 872-7272

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: Thursdays

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

Resources from Past Articles

Mediation Services

Find out how you can take advantage of low cost mediation and conflict coaching services. Mediation Services is a program of Volunteers of America Northern New England. Please contact Nancy Markowitz, Program Director at (207) 373-1140 ext 229, mediate@voanne.org or www.voanne.org

Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence

430-8334 or www.mcedv.org.

National Domestic Violence Helpline

1-800-799-SAFE, 1-866-834-4357

Family Violence Project

www.familyviolenceproject.org or call 623-8637.

The Augusta Crisis Line 623-3569 or 1-877-890-7788

Hardy Girls, Healthy Women www.hardygirlshealthywomen.org

Silent No More www.silentnomore.org

The Grandest Parents of All

A support group and series of workshops for grandparents and other relatives raising young children. Meetings are held the third Thursday each month, 5-7 pm at Educare, 56 Drummond Ave, Waterville, for more information call Samantha Thibodeau at 626-3497

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 your health concerns.

211 Logo Still looking for a resource check out 211

Call 211 or go online at www.211maine.org

Call Today, Time Could be Running Out...

Get your

Healthy Maine Works

Account Today

Healthy Maine Works is a FREE online tool designed to guide Maine employers in developing an effective worksite wellness plan. Supporting employee health can reduce absences, boost productivity and improve morale and performance.

How can Healthy Maine Works work for you?

The program offers Maine employers a variety of resources, including:

* Employee surveys and an organizational assessment to identify health-related priorities

* Detailed strategies and resources

* A wellness action plan

Already have a plan in Action?

The wellness activities combined with the expertise and resources by the Healthy Maine Partnerships staff will give any wellness program a boost!

Support is provided by a Nationally Certified Worksite Wellness Program Consultant, call Amy at 588-5019 to schedule a demonstration today.

Children's Center Free Parent Education Series

Managing Your Child's Behavior: Tantrums, Turmoil and Keeping Your Sanity Tues, Feb 28

Why Won't Johnny B. Goode at Home Tues, Mar 6

Nutrition: The Importance of Healthy Eating for Families and Children Tues, Apr 3

4 Step Parenting: Cycle Method

Tues, May 8

Classes are held at the Children's Center 5:00-7:00 pm

For more information contact Samantha Thibodeau 626-4397 ext 125

These workshops are funded by the Maine Children's Trust.

Farmers Markets

Gardiner:

November 2-April 18

Johnson Hall Water Street 2-6 pm First and Third Wednesdays

Other Options:

For worksites looking to create their own mini farmers market, Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative's buying clubs may be just what you need. To learn more visit www.crownofmainecoop.com

My Fresh Maine, your local online farmers market www.myfreshmaine.com, orders are shipped directly to the customer through next-day delivery

KLFI Buying Club to learn more visit www.gardinerfarmersmarket.org

Save the Date:

Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference March 20-21, 2012 to learn morevisit www.maineindoorair.org

Take it Outside

Winter Family Fun Days 2012

At Maine State Parks:

February 4

Mount Blue State Park, Weld

Ice skating on the most beautiful outdoor rink in Maine; cross country skiing, snowshoeing, sliding, hay rides, nature interpretive walks, bonfires, warming hut; other sponsors include Northern Lights, Hearth & Sports, Franklin Savings Bank, Weld General Store and Skoolhouse Variety; hot lunch included; $1.50 for adults and youth, ages 12-64; all others free; for more information, call (207) 585-2261.

February 18

Range Ponds State Park, Poland Springs

Kids' Fishing Derby 8 am-noon

Part of the Sebago Lake Rotary Derbyfest and Statewide Derby. Free ice fishing equipment for the first 500 youngsters who register, compliments of Kittery Trading Post. Windham Rotary volunteers are providing organizational support. For more information on the event and registration, go to: http://www.icefishingderby.com/

February 25

Aroostook State Park, Presque Isle

Cross country skiing, sliding, snowshoeing, ice skating, snowmobile tote rides, guided nature interpretive walks; other sponsors include Graves Super Market, Katahdin Trust Co., Haines Manufacturing Inc.,Cary Medical Center, Northern Maine Development Commission, TD Bank, Maine National Guard; hot lunch included; $1.50 for adults, ages 12-64; kids and seniors free; for more information, call (207) 768-8341.

For more information visit:

www.parksandlands.com

Book Your Reservations at State of Maine Parks online

To learn more visit www.campwithme.com

Mail reservation requests to Bureau of Parks and Lands, ATTN: Reservations, 2 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333

Drop off completed reservation forms during business hours at the Augusta office.

Call to make your reservations by calling 1-800-332-1501 between 9am and 4pm Monday through Friday.

Our Board of Directors

Mary Frances Bartlett

Rebecca West Dick

Dick Dyer

Rob Gordon, Treasurer

Patricia Hopkins

Kala Ladenheim

William McPeck, Vice Chair

Emilie van Eeghen

Frederick A. White, PhD

Jim Wood, Chair

Mark Yerrick, Secretary

Our Towns

Augusta

Chelsea

Farmingdale

Fayette

Gardiner

Hallowell

Litchfield

Manchester

Monmouth

Mount Vernon

Pittston

Randolph

Readfield

Richmond

Vienna

Wayne

HCCA has FREE signs: metal, corrugated plastic, window clings and laminated, Call Amy at 588-5019

new tobacco free signs

plastic tobacco signs

smokefree signs

Outdoor Dining

Breathe Easy!

The Workplace Smoking Act of 1985 and Accompanying Rules prohibits smoking:

* In all company vehicles (owned or leased)

* In all enclosed areas where work is performed and for which the employer is responsible

* In common areas

* In private offices

* In employee vehicles used in the course of work

* In 20 feet of entryways, vents, doorways or any location that allows smoke to circulate
back into the building (ie windows, air exchanges, etc)

* In DHHS licensed residential facilities

* Violations are subject to fines up to $1,500

* The law requires worksites to have a written policy that meets or exceeds the law, post it and make copies available to employees

To report violations www.tobaccofreemaine.org/train_take_action/report _a_violation.php

If you do not feel your issue has been adequately addressed, call John Archard at the Office of the Maine Attorney General 592-8149

For more information, questions or assistance in developing your policy call Amy at 588-5019

Maine law makes common areas in our state parks and historic sites smoke-free. These areas include:

* Beaches

* Playgrounds

* Snack Bars

* Picnic Shelters

* Business Facilities

* Restrooms

* Public Spaces

Smoking is prohibited in outdoor eating areas. Outdoor eating areas are defined as a patio, deck or other property that is particially enclosed or open to the sky that is permitted for outdoor eating or drinking under the control of the eating establishment, as long as food or drink is served by the establishment to the public for consumption on the premises.

Establishments with outdoor eating areas shall post signs notifying patrons of the prohibition and request all persons within the outdoor eating area to comply with the law.

Thank you for your commitment to the health and well-being of our community. Please contact us if we can be of assistance in supporting your southern Kennebec community's quality of life.

Sincerely,

Joanne Joy, Director

Amy Wagner, Adult & Worksite Wellness Initiatives Program Manager

Nationally Certified Worksite Wellness Program Consultant

Healthy Communities of the Capital Area

awagner@mcd.org ~ 207.588.5019

Visit us online www.healthycommunitiesme.org

HCCA is a local Healthy Maine Partnership (HMP). HMP is a collaborative effort among 28 local coalitions, the Maine DHHS (Maine CDC and Office of Substance Abuse) and DOE, supported primarily by the Fund for Healthy Maine with federal grants from the US CDC, SAMHSA, and DOE.