Food Pantry Providing Groceries
The Winthrop Community Food Pantry has been here to help the people of Winthrop, who need food assistance for any reason. There are no questions asked, no forms to fill out. We are a stigma free zone and are here to help.
The Winthrop Community Food Pantry is providing a box of groceries, on May 8. This box contains two cartons of milk, two cans of vegetables, one box of pasta, peanut butter, three bags of rice, two cans of fruit, one can of tomato sauce, one container of apple juice, two cans of beans, two cans of tuna, four cans of soup and an energy bar. The boxes will be given out at a contactless drive by at 222 Bowdoin St.
The day is Saturday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 222 Bowdoin St. Winthrop.
Explorers Post 99 to Be Fundraising
The Winthrop Police Explorers Post 99 are excited to announce that they will be participating in the National Competitive Training Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, July 19 through the 22.,Over the next few months, members will be conducting fundraisers throughout the Town of Winthrop and are asking for any assistance with monetary donations to defray the cost of travel and lodging.
After a year long hiatus due to CoronaVirus, Post 99 has resumed training in several different types of Law Enforcement events to help them prepare for the National conference. In past years Post 99 has always pulled through and brought home a trophy after every competitive conference whether that be in a different state or right here in Massachusetts and they are definitely looking forward to doing that again this year.
If you are considering a donation know that it will not go unnoticed no matter how big or small you may think it is as Post 99 draws closer to their fundraising goal of $16,000 for the full trip. (The Post is looking to send 16 Explorers at a cost of $1,000 per explorer.) This trip will bring experiences to young adults who, without the Explorers program, may not get the chance to experience it on their own.
All members of Post 99 are very excited to go to Tennessee this year and compete against other Posts from all around the country. As the conference gets closer and closer,, Post 99 will be continuing to work efficiently with the few months they have left to train and make the Town of Winthrop proud.. To make a donation please contact Lt. Rogers at the Winthrop Police Station ([email protected]) or look for us at upcoming fundraising events throughout the town.
MVES Seeks Volunteers for Social Engagement Program
Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) is seeking volunteers for its Social Engagement Program, a program vital to isolated older adults by supporting independence and fostering compassion.
The Social Engagement Program is designed to help improve the health and well-being of isolated older adults in the community by providing meaningful social connection—whether it be through regular visits (when safe to do so), telephone calls, or email.
Many older adults already live with a deep sense of disconnection from their community but the pandemic and related social distancing measures have made their sense of social isolation and loneliness much worse.
There are three different options for program participants. Volunteers may choose one that is best for them, or could be involved in two, or all three. Options include a Telephone Reassurance Program, where a volunteer calls the isolated individual and provides a social contact and friendly conversation; an Email Correspondence, for online engagement with others via technology; and aFriendly Visitor Program, in which the consumer receives home visits (when safe to do so) that focus on in-person socialization and companionship.
If you would like to learn more about volunteering for the Social Engagement Program, please contact Leah Mulrenan at (781) 388-2375 or [email protected].
Risk of Shingles Increases With Age
Just recently, a Mystic Valley Elder Services consumer’s grandmother was diagnosed with shingles. She always thought that was an old-fashioned disease that no one got anymore. But shingles has never disappeared. In fact, each year, approximately 1 million Americans will develop this painful viral infection. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.
The risk for shingles increases with age. Half of all cases of shingles are in people over 60. People with weakened immune systems from illnesses such as cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, or HIV are at a higher risk of developing shingles.
The good news is shingles can be prevented by getting a vaccination. More than 99% of Americans ages 40 and older have had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember getting the disease. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that healthy adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months, to prevent shingles and the complications from the disease. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about getting the vaccine.
Once you have chickenpox, the virus can stay dormant in your nerve tissues for years—even decades. In some people, the virus suddenly wakes up, forming blisters or rash on the chest, back, waistline, upper arms, or face.
The shingles rash will begin with tingling, pain, numbness, or itching. Within a few days, a rash will develop and may spread. Fluid-filled blisters that are very similar to chickenpox blisters will grow out of the rash.
The pain from shingles can be mild to intense. Some people will have mostly itching; others will feel pain, even from a gentle touch or breeze. Other symptoms of shingles can include fever, headache, chills, and upset stomach.
Shingles itself is not contagious. You can’t spread the condition to another person. However, the varicella-zoster virus is contagious, and if you have shingles, you can spread the virus to another person, which could then cause them to develop chickenpox. If you’ve never had chicken pox, make sure not to touch open blisters until they scab over, or you’ll develop chicken pox yourself.
Shingles can last from two weeks to several weeks. Most people will only have one outbreak in a lifetime, but multiple outbreaks are possible.
To learn more about MVES programs and services, please call us at 781-324-7705 or visit www.mves.org.
Saint Joseph Prep Announces Third Quarter Honor Roll
The following student from Winthrop who attends Saint Joseph Prep in Boston was named to the honor roll for the third quarter:
Headmaster’s Circle (All A’s): Nayeli Orellana ’24 (Winthrop)