Photos by Sally Wagoner
Community members with a passion and concern for the local Newaygo County environment are urged to attend the meeting on Thursday, October 11. It will be held at 7 p.m. in Brooks Township Hall, 490 Quarterline Street, Newaygo. “This will be the first meeting of the Citizens Environmental Watch and Action Coalition following the People’s Climate March held in Newaygo on September 8,” states Sally Kane, one of the coordinators of the March and a 3R Education Board Member. “People who attended the march were inspired by the speakers and many expressed a desire to carry that energy into action.” “We live in a beautiful part of Michigan, and there are many dedicated individuals and organizations working hard to keep it that way,” adds Linda Ritz-White, Executive Director of 3R Education and a Coalition coordinator. “Some goals of this new coalition are to learn about and support the work already being done for our local environment, identify issues of concern, and partner with current organizations and our government entities to create effective solutions.” Some issues that have been identified are the difficulties of maintaining a sustainable recycling program; the extensive use of pesticides by the private and public sectors that causes severe declines in bee and pollinator populations; contamination of food and waters from indiscriminate use of herbicides and toxic disposal practices; and loss of native habitats and species that are essential in supporting our area’s unique local web of life. “Newaygo County residents love the natural beauty of our area and the bounty offered to those who hunt for the family table,” states Sally Wagoner, another Climate March and Coalition coordinator. “But it is painful to see how things have changed so much even in our lifetimes because of harmful practices. How is fishing compared to 30 years ago? Have you noticed how few butterflies and lightning bugs there are now from when you were a child? How many more communities will find PFAS in their wells?” “We hope to create a robust coalition of citizens and organizations who can work together in positive ways to help improve the quality of our natural environment,” adds Wagoner. “It is our responsibility to care for our local piece of Earth not only for the benefit of our future generations, but also as good stewards for the inhabitants of our natural world who cannot speak for themselves.” For more information everyone is invited to come to the meeting on October 11. You can also email NewaygoClimateMarch@gmail.com; call 231.519.9471; or visit the 3R Education website for a flyer about the event - www.3r-Education.org.
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Safety, security take center stage at annual Gerber Memorial employee event
FREMONT – The Thursday routine took a small detour from the ordinary for some Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial employees, who sledded down two flights of stairs, learned how to prevent abductions and practiced putting out fires – literally. Nearly a dozen safety activities were featured during the Gerber Memorial Employee Safety Fair, which is held each year to encourage staff members from every department to learn and practice safety habits and techniques. At Thursday’s fair, lab techs learned how to properly operate fire extinguishers. Front desk staff practiced evacuating patients down narrow stairwells using a med sled and an evacuation chair, which would be necessary in case a fire shut down the elevator. Gerber Memorial’s security team shared tips for de-escalating confrontations. “Our safety fair is a great opportunity for staff at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the safety and security of our patients, visitors and fellow staff,” said Amanda Lutz, Gerber Memorial emergency preparedness specialist. “We host these safety fairs in a fun setting as we share useful information about everything from putting out small fires to reducing the spread of infection to emergency readiness. Our goal is to help us be at our best as we serve our patients and our community.” Other areas featured included reviewing emergency preparedness response plans and flu prevention methods. The fair even included an exercise for staff to learn how to save money by disposing waste correctly and appropriately. A ton of recycling costs only $62, yet regulated medical waste costs $470 per ton and confidential paper shredding, $1,520 per ton. Family Health Care Welcomes James Davis, NP Baldwin-Being able to provide quality and affordable health care services that are accessible to all is the mission of Family Health Care (FHC). That’s why FHC is pleased to announce the addition of James Davis, NP, to its White Cloud office. James has over five years of experience as a nurse practitioner; working with adult patients in rural areas throughout Michigan. He has also been an adjunct nursing faculty member at Illinois Central College since 2010. “I take great pride in listening to my patients' concerns to address their medical needs," said James. “I look forward to helping improve the health of this wonderful community.” James completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Illinois Central College in East Peoria, IL, and his Masters of Science in Nursing at Saint Francis Medical College of Nursing in Peoria, IL. FHC continually focuses on meeting the needs of its communities by growing and expanding services to provide rural residents and visitors to the area with quality, affordable access to behavioral health, medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, laboratory and radiology services close to where they live, work and play. James will provide primary adult medical care services at FHC’s White Cloud office located at 1035 E. Wilcox, White Cloud. To schedule an appointment with James or another provider call (231) 689-5943. Gerber Memorial celebrates National Midwifery week
FREMONT – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial is recognizing national midwifery week this week. Certified nurse midwives (CNM) specialize in pregnancy and childbirth, natural birth, postpartum care and support, breastfeeding support, routine gynecologic care, birth control and more. “We provide care for women from adolescence through menopause and focus on empowering women through pregnancy and childbirth,” said Sara Stevens, CNM, RN, a certified nurse midwife at Gerber Memorial. Midwifery care doesn’t necessarily mean an all-natural birth. Stevens said that midwives’ philosophy is to support women in whatever decisions they choose. “Midwifery care means more one-on-one and hands-on care which decreases rate of pain medications and epidurals during labor,” Stevens said. “However, we are very supportive of women who choose to get epidurals and pain medications in labor. We also take care of women who are planning a C-section and would like more personalized care during their pregnancy.” Stevens joined Gerber Memorial at the beginning of 2018, bringing extensive experience including assessing and caring for women in triage; providing care to mothers during labor and delivery, recovery, and postpartum; and gynecological care to women across the lifespan, including family planning/birth control services. “Some of the benefits of midwifery care include more individualized maternity and gynecological care, decreased cesarean section rates, decreased induction of labor and augmentation rates, and generally more time with your provider during appointments,” Stevens said. Certified nurse midwives are highly-qualified providers with graduate degrees in advanced practice nursing, licensed with the State of Michigan and certified through the American Midwifery Certification Board. “I chose to become a midwife when I witnessed the birth of my oldest niece. I was 17 at the time and was so amazed by the birth process as well as how important good quality care is to women in labor. I am so happy that I made the choice to further my education and career by becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife. My favorite part about being a nurse midwife is providing care to women throughout their pregnancy and providing labor support. I also love to involve their partner and support people throughout the whole process,” said Stevens. Parents who choose to partner with a certified nurse midwife for prenatal care will receive evidence-based care that optimizes the health of mother and child. Parents will also have a strong advocate for the kind of birth experience they want. Stevens said Spectrum Health’s certified nurse midwives also work in collaboration with providers should the need arise for additional medical or surgical care. For further information, contact the Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at 231.924.1212. |
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