Healthy New Year!

This information from the local members of the National Kidney Foundation about a free health screen:

Hopefully your New Year’s resolutions include taking care of your health? You may be aware that diabetes and high blood pressure are on the rise, but did you know that these two conditions are the leading causes of kidney failure? Because of this, the National Kidney Foundation of Utah & Idaho ( NKFU&I) will conduct their Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) a free, early detection health screening for people at increased risk for kidney failure on Friday, January 27, 2012 at the Adventist Community Center, 255 South 700 East, Provo from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. KEEP is designed to identify and educate those at risk -- those with a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease.
“We know that if we start early with education, detection and if necessary, medical intervention, kidney disease or kidney failure can often be postponed or even prevented,” says Sharon Miller, KEEP Director.
KEEP screening participants will have their weight and blood pressure checked. Medical professionals will collect blood and urine samples – testing worth about $200 to each participant. A physician will be on-site to review results with participants.
To make an appointment for the free screening or to learn more, call NKFU&I at 801-226-5111.
More than 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease and most don’t even know it. Because of the epidemic of diabetes and high blood pressure, millions more are at risk.
So, if you, your parents or siblings have diabetes, high blood pressure or
kidney disease, you should be screened.

Bicycle to School this fall!

The Provo Bicycle Committee is planning to hold a Bike (or Walk) to School Week at all K-12 schools in Provo (and at BYU) the third week of September and they hope to find a parent at each school who is willing to organize the event at their particular school. If the school organizers want, Provo Bicycle Committee members can help them to organize bike rodeos, tune-ups, rides, etc.
Aaron Skabelund is looking for a volunteer to organize this event at Westridge Elementary.  If you or someone you know may be interested in doing this, contact him for more information.  Click on his name or call him at 801-857-1698.

Health Fair

Mountainlands Community Health Center is putting on a health fair for the neighborhood from 5 to 8 PM on August 24th at their Provo location at 900 East and State Street. This Health Fair is to introduce Mountainlands to the community and to show what services the Health Center provides. 

The folks at Mountainlands plan to have booths performing health checks, a rock climbing wall, helmet safety, a Zumba demonstration, and more. 

Mountainlands is a not-for-profit organization that provides a pharmacy and medical, dental, and mental health services in one convenient location. They serve those in need regardless of their ability to pay or their insurance status. They accept medicare, medicaid, SCHIP, and many other insurances, as well as those without insurance.

National Night Out

Provo is joining hundreds of cities across the nation who are celebrating the annual National Night Out Against Crime.  It will be on August 2nd at Kiwanis Park (820 N 1100 East) and will feature fun, food,and a great line up of information booths--including an emergency preparedness demonstration trailer. 
So come between 6 and 8 PM to enjoy our neighbors, strengthen our community, and learn about safety!

Provo's Bicycle Plan

Dust off your bike helmet!  Provo City is beginning to put together a master plan for bicycling paths throughout the City, connecting to bike paths in Orem and Springville. By the end of the month, proposals will be submitted and a consultant will be named a couple of weeks later.  The goal is to have bicycle lanes connected from one end of the County to the other.  You can read more about this plan in a recent article in the Daily Herald.

Was that Pie in the Sky? No, it was Cake!

You may be seeing the fireworks stands popping up earlier this year thanks to a new law passed by the legislature that allows sale of fireworks 30 days prior to Independence Day. This could create a whole new way to celebrate Flag Day and Father's Day.

This new law has also legalized a type of fireworks previously unavailable to residents in the state of Utah. It is commonly called "cake" and shoots 150 feet in the air! If past prohibitions have kept you from competing for the title of "Cul de sac of Fire", this may be your year.

But a word of warning: check out the risks of handling these pyrotechnical devices and take precautions. Those who sell these products are required to give warnings to those who purchase them but you can get information in advance. A May 10th article on KSL.com is a good starting place. Set down clear rules with your children about fireworks too. Let's hope we all enjoy happy and safe summer celebrations this year!

Ride a Bicycle this Week!

I just received this flier today.  The weather is cooperating for Provo's Bicycle Week starting Monday, May 16.

The Utah Lake Festival

IMPORTANT UP-DATE:  Due to rapids and high river levels, the Utah Lake Festival has been canceled for June 4th.  I have not heard that it will be held later in the summer.  I will post that date if it is rescheduled.  The fear was that children would be drawn to the Festival and then to the banks of the rushing river.  The risks to young children was just too great.  So the original post, describing the planned Festival is now removed.

Rx for a Safer Community

Remember when your dentist sent you home with a prescription for pain medication? He said to fill it before the pain hit -- just in case.  The little container of capsules is probably still in the medicine cabinet.

The deadliest drug problem in the United States is prescription painkillers. According to a national survey of drug use and health, more than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs. They also estimate that every day 2500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time.  Highly addictive painkillers are killing more people in the United States than heroin and cocaine combined. Demand for drugs is also fostering increased crime. Home invasion and theft of drugs have affected our own neighborhood in the recent past.

Simply flushing chemicals, such as those in prescription drugs, down drains or toilets poses problems to the water treatment processes. Putting them in the trash is often not a safe way to dispose of them either. 

Addressing these problems, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies has scheduled a National Prescription Drug Take Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

The Utah County Sheriff's Department has arranged to operate a collection site where people can drop off their unneeded prescription drugs. They will be disposed of properly. There are quite a few locations around the County where you can drop off medications; the closest one to our community is at Macey's Grocery Store at 1400 N State Street, here in Provo.

Now is the time to look through your medicine cabinets and clear out any expired or unneeded drugs.  Spread the word to your friends and neighbors.  You can find additional sites for drop off at the DEA website.