IT’S A SAFE POOL PARTY! March 2, 2011

 

 

Join The Children’s Hospital of SouthwestFlorida’s Kohl’s Center for Safety Program and LeeCountyParks and Recreation for a free pool safety party on Saturday, Mar. 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lehigh Community Pool,

1400 W. 5^th Street

, Lehigh Acres. Learn ways to help your family stay safe while having fun in and around the swimming pool.

 

 

“In the state of Florida, we lose the equivalent of three classrooms of preschoolers to drowning each year”, said Michele King, Director of the Child Advocacy Program at The Children’s Hospital. “We must keep our children safe with layers of protection and constant adult supervision when they are in or near water.”

 

 

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under age 5 in the state of Florida and is 100% preventable. Just follow the safety tips below:

 

 

• Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your child when he or she is in or near water.  

• Teach children basic water safety tips.  

• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.  

• Have a telephone close by when your or your family is using a pool or spa.  

• If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first.  

• Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors.
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Free admission and refreshments. For more information, call Kohl’s Center for Safety at 239-343-5224.

CHILDREN’S INJURY PREVENTION FAIR January 5, 2011

 

The Children’s Injury Prevention Fair will be held this Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011 at LeeMemorialHospital,

2776 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers

from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The fair is designed to promote injury prevention by combining fun activities and useful information for the entire family.

 

The Injury Prevention Fair is presented by Lee MemorialHospital’s Emergency and Trauma Services in conjunction with The Children’s Hospital of SouthwestFlorida.

Each year, thousands of children across the country are hospitalized for falls, burns, car accidents and other injuries. “Some of these injuries are avoidable,” said Lisa Sgarlata, RN, Chief Administrative Officer of LeeMemorialHospital. “We hope that parents will bring their children to the fair and learn some of the simple steps they can take to prevent injuries. “

 

Special features include car seat and helmet fitting stations; rollover vehicle; Stay Alive Just Drive information; fatal vision glasses; helicopters, ambulance, Smokey Bear, K-9 unit from LCSO, LCSO public services vehicles; EMS participation; safe baby-sitting information; fingerprinting; gun safety; pediatric nutrition; tobacco prevention;  pediatric swimming instruction information; and a lot more.  Healthy snacks will also be available.

 

Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals or a doll to the fair so they can participate in the Teddy Bear Clinic. Child life specialists will guide the children as they pretend to give

medical treatment to their toy so they understand better what happens at hospitals and what doctors and nurses do to help them when they do not feel well or are hurt. This helps calm their fears should they ever need medical attention.

 

At the car seat fitting station, parents will learn about car seat safety, proper installation and recalls. Anyone wishing to have his or her car seat checked by the Child Advocacy team from The Children’s Hospital should call 343-6199 to make an appointment for the day of the fair, Saturday Jan. 22, 2011.

 

The activities and booths will take place in the Auditorium and parking lot in front of the hospital.

BLOOD DRIVE November 19, 2010

  Southwest FL: NCH Community Blood Center is hosting
a
variety of pre & post-Thanksgiving holiday blood drives. People can
qualify
to win the November Grand Prize drawing of a 2-night stay at the Marco
Hilton Beach Resort and Spa, and special thank you gifts will be offered
to
donors who successfully blood.  Donors are encouraged to give thanks,
give
blood and save lives at the following blood drives or locations:

Community Blood Center Blood Mobile Sites:

Tues. Nov. 23: 11 am – 4 pm: Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant, at Granada Shops
in
Naples: (Corner of Immokalee Rd. & US 41). Successful donors will
receive
gift cards from Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant for a full meal, Starbucks
Coffee
free pastry card, a plush toy from Tanger Outlets. Hourly Prize drawings
of
$15 Sweetbay Supermarkets gift cards to purchase holiday items! 

Fri. through Sun. Nov. 26 – 28: 11 am – 6 pm: Regal Cinemas-Hollywood
20,
Naples: 6006 Hollywood Blvd. Naples Successful donors will receive a
free
movie ticket.

Mon. Nov. 29: 10 am – 2 pm: Wynn’s Market:141 Tamiami Trail N. Event is
being co-sponsored by Mederi CareTenders & Almost Family to Honor
November’s
National Home Health Care Month.  Successful donors will receive $5 gift
cards to Wynn’s Market & Cosmos Café & Pizzeria. Prize drawings
include an
NCH Wellness Centers gift certificate for a therapeutic massage and $25
gift
cards to Ace Sunshine Hardware & Cosmos Café & Pizzeria.

Fixed Site Centers: Special holiday hours:

Bonita Springs: Community Blood Center:       9170 Bonita Beach
Rd.-Closed
Nov. 22 -Nov. 26

Center will reopen on Mon. Nov. 29: 8 am – 5 pm. 

Naples: Community Blood Center: 311 Ninth Street North, Suite 108, first
floor of the Medical Plaza Building:

Mon. Nov. 22: 8 am – 5 pm, Tues. Nov. 23: 11 am- 7 pm, Wed. Nov. 24: 8
am -
5 pm, Closed Thanksgiving Nov. 25, Friday Nov. 26: 8 am – 5 pm. (Donors
who
successfully give blood at this location on Fri. Nov. 26 will receive a
free
movie ticket)

The Community Blood Center is the primary supplier of blood products to
all
Collier County hospitals.  People can give blood every 56 days.  There
is no
upper age maximum to donate blood, but the minimum age is 16, with
parent
present.  Minimum weight to give blood is 110 pounds. People who take
the
following medicines CAN give blood: aspirin, allergy blood pressure,
cholesterol or thyroid medications, hormone replacement therapy,
antidepressants, or insulin.  People who have had cancer may be able to
give
blood, but certain restrictions apply. Call 436-5455 for details. Donors
are
required to present a valid picture ID and must eat before giving blood.
Donors should also be well hydrated.  Call 436-5455 or visit
www.givebloodcbc.org <http://www.givebloodcbc.org/>  for more
information.

SANDBLAST 2010 November 8, 2010

A200 will headline SandBlast 2010 Children’s Music Fest, a day of family fun, great music, food & drink and local business vendors. 
Local donations have sponsored the event and proceeds will benefit the Lewis P. Tabarrini Children’s Music Foundation, a new local non-profit organization whose mission is to provide instruments and lessons to those children who can’t afford it. Lewis believed that a boy or girl with a musical instrument in their hands is less likely to be getting into trouble, and he personally provided more than one child with their very first musical instrument.  The organization was founded by Lew’s children, including Bob Tabarrini of A200, the headlining band.

“When my father Lew passed away in July, my heart broke and my world felt so empty,” said Tabarrini.  “As I sat and reflected upon my Dad, I realized that even though he was not a musician, he truly loved music.  As a tribute to my Dad, the Tabarrini children established the foundation to continue the heart and spirit of a wonderful father who simply loved children and loved music.”

This family event will be held from 12pm – 5pm at the Sandbill Homes/Sandbill Realty Properties just west of US41 on Colonial Boulevard.  Sandbill is the main sponsor for the event.

“ We heard The Tabarrini Foundation was looking for a centrally located facility to host this event  and offered our 5.5 acre sales center,” says Courtney Newhaufel of Sandbill Homes and Sandbilll Realty. “We are delighted to be partnering with the foundation to give the gift of music to Southwest Florida youths.”

The goal for the SandBlast Children’s Music Fest and Family Fun Day is to raise enough money to buy 100 acoustic guitars to give to local children for Christmas.  We are also are looking for funding to be able to give more free lessons and instruments to students at the Ft. Myers Music Academy.

Activities at the family fun day will include: face painting, dunk tank, raffles, silent auction and of course, music!

A200 will play at 4 p.m. Also scheduled to play: DVS, Geek Sqwad and Soapy Tuna, all local favorites. 

Admission to the event is FREE and all are welcome to attend!

FREE AUTISM SCREENING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN October 22, 2010

 

The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to 5 years of age.

 

The next screening will be held Oct. 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lee Memorial Hospital’s Child Development Center located at 2335 Clifford Street, Fort Myers.

 

It is estimated that one in every 150 children is diagnosed with some form of ASD, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined.

 

Medical consultants for the project stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families. They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well.

 

The ASD screening is conducted by the Neurosciences Center at The Children’s Hospital, under the guidance of pediatric neurologist Jose Colon, MD, MPH, and pediatric psychiatrist Marianne Krouk, DO. The screenings are administered by an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders.

 

A physician referral is not required. To schedule a screening, please call 239-985-3608.

NATIONAL ESTUARIES DAY September 20, 2010

Explore Rookery Bay by boat, kayak and on foot during the free National Estuaries Day celebration on Saturday, September 25th. The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center offers free admission to the aquariums, nature trail and boat trips on this day to teach people about the Southwest Florida coastal environment. Onsite activities include a touch tank, tours of the science labs, nature films, lectures by fish experts, live music, food vendors, and much more. The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in Naples is at 300 Tower Road, near the Prime Outlets, less than 10 miles from downtown Naples. Free admission on Saturday, September 25th. Visit rookerybay.org for more information.

ANNUAL DUNBAR HEALTH FORUM September 14, 2010

On Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Dunbar High School, 3800 E. Edison Avenue, Fort Myers, you are invited to participate in free health tests and education.

Areas of health tests and education include:  breast and cervical cancer, lung disease, prostate and colon cancer, diabetes, stroke, blood pressure, sleep disorder, HIV/AIDS.

Did you know that prostrate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men?

Did you know that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women?

Did you know that colon cancer is the third most common cancer for both men and women?

For your good health and for the good health of those that you love, follow yearly screening recommendations. Please join your local health care professionals at the Annual Health Forum where many of your questions and concerns about your health can be answered. In addition, Medical Interpreters will be available to assist with your interpretation needs in both Spanish and Haitian Creole.

Omega Youth and Community Development and Lee Memorial Health System would like to thank our partners, 21^st Century C.A.R.E., Southwest Florida Urologic Associates and the Lee County Health Department.

For more information, please call 239-332-1073.

PROTECT YOUR PRECIOUS CARGO September 14, 2010

 

The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida Kohl’s Center for Safety will be providing free car seat safety inspections on Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Kohl’s Department Store located at 9357 Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Research shows that an estimated 30 percent of children still continue to ride unrestrained and 80 percent of all car seats are used incorrectly.  More than 1,700 children have been saved since 1996 just because they were riding in a properly fitted car seat and in the back seat.

Education and information to improve these numbers is of critical need in our community.  According to Safe Kids and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a correctly used safety seat reduces fatality risk by 71 percent and serious injury risk by 67 percent. 

Car seats will be available at a reduced price if your car seat is part of a recall, out dated or not the appropriate car seat for the child.

Bilingual fitting technicians will be available. Appointments are strongly encouraged and may be made by calling 239-432-4491 for a time that’s convenient for you.

DOE PARTNERS WITH FLORIDA NFL TEAMS August 17, 2010

~ Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins to offer discounted ticket prices for all public school and district personnel ~

 The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is proud to announce a new partnership with two of Florida’s National Football League (NFL) teams to offer discounted ticket prices for all public school and district personnel (pre-kindergarten – 12^th grade) across the state. Through this partnership, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins each have single-game discount tickets available for education employees who make a difference in Florida’s classrooms.

“I’m thrilled to work alongside the Jags and the Dolphins to reward the hard-working members of our public education system, and I’m grateful to these teams for their generosity and support of our schools,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “Just like in football, there is an enormous amount of planning and work to prepare for the new year, and I’m hopeful that these discounted tickets will allow our dedicated school and district employees to balance out those efforts with some tremendous entertainment opportunities.”

For some available games, employees will see as much as 30 percent in savings compared to regular ticket prices. Employees may also contact the NFL team representatives directly if interested in purchasing single game tickets for the upcoming football season.  

• Jacksonville Jaguars – Seth Parise: parises@mail.jaguars.com; (904) 633-4670
• Miami Dolphins – Sarah Gattusa: SGattuso@dolphins.com; (305) 943-6661

“We certainly understand the importance of education, which is one reason we want to say thank you this season to all educators in the state of Florida with a special discount,” said Macky Weaver, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Jaguars. “So on behalf of the Jaguars, thank you for all that you do. We look forward to seeing you at the game.”

“We are pleased to extend this Dolphins special offer to our Florida educators,” said Adam Grossman, Sr. Vice President of Public Affairs. “This program complements the Dolphins Most Valuable Readers program which promotes literacy throughout the state of Florida. We are proud to support the incredible work teachers do each and every day in classrooms.”

More information about the discounts, including specific details about single game offers can be found on the Just for Teachers website at www.fldoe.org/justforteachers/discounts.asp.

BACK TO SCHOOL BLAST August 17, 2010

The Children’s Advocacy Program of The Children’s Hospital, a part of the Lee Memorial Health System is pleased to participate in the 2^nd Annual Back to School Blast to be held at the Edison Mall on Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Safe Kids’ trained fitters will fit children with free bicycle helmets while supplies last.  “We have 100 helmets of various sizes,” said Liz Moreno, Child Advocate at The Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Lee/Collier Counties Coordinator. “We will measure the child’s head and fit the appropriate size helmet to them.  As long as we have the right size helmet for the child, we’re happy to give them away.”

Additionally, information will be available regarding Backpack Safety, Safe Walking to School, Safety Tips for Riding the Bus, and Parked Cars – Dangerous for Kids.

WHEN:          Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:       Edison Mall

                        Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers