Take care of yourself and help others

HoHoHo – ‘tis the season to cover the plants at night and call your friends and relatives back east to brag on our daytime temperatures.  Oh yes, and don’t forget to send some Christmas cards, throw some tinsel on a tree (any tree will do), and buy, buy, buy.  [The preceding sentiment “buy, buy, buy” was brought to you by the Chamber of Commerce!]
 
For your information, the County’s Planning staff will be holding an informal meeting seeking public comment on a proposed amendment (PZ-C-008-10) of county’s Zoning Ordinance concerning issues related to medical marijuana, dispensaries, etc. The meeting will take place on Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in the E.O.C. Room of Building F on the County complex (31 N. Pinal Street) in Florence.
 
In the midst of the mad dash to the end of 2010 and the holiday season, there’s something that you can do for yourself – a gift that keeps on giving. The Pinal County Public Health Department is administering flu shots for adults at a cost of $15, a bargain compared to the cost of cold and flu medicines and missed work.
 
Our Pinal County Public Health Clinics now accept walk-in appointments for flu shots on the dates and times specified below:

• Casa Grande – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. (820 E. Cottonwood Lane, Building E, Casa Grande)
• Maricopa – Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.(44625 W. Garvey Avenue, Maricopa)
• Stanfield – the second Wednesday of the month from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. (36711 W. Papago Drive, Stanfield)
• Coolidge – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. (119 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge)
• Eloy – Mondays, Tuesdays, & Thursdays from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. (302 E. 5th Street, Eloy)
The number to call for appointments is 1-888-431-1311.

The Pinal County Public Health Services District has not received any flu vaccines for children yet.  When we do receive the vaccine, children can receive a flu shot without an appointment at their local Pinal County Public Health clinic. In order to reduce that chance of catching the flu this season, the Public Health Department recommends frequent hand washing using soap and warm water for 30 seconds. If you do become ill, it is important to stay home to help prevent spreading the illness to others. 

Speaking of gifts that keep on giving, the Latino Familia Initiative will be teaming up with Valle del Sol and Central Arizona College again for another session of the Hispanic Leadership Institute-Pinal (HLI-Pinal). This ten week institute is designed to educate and assist individuals in developing and expanding their leadership skills while encouraging them to take an active role in their respective communities.  The weekly sessions are conducted on the Signal Peak Campus of CAC, and the first session will get underway on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

HLI-Pinal has a competitive application process and is open to all individuals of diverse backgrounds living or working in Pinal County. For more information, call Dan Cortez at 602-258-6797, ext. 527, or go to http://www.valledelsol.com/pages/page.asp?pageID=24

Last month I was fortunate to be invited to participate in a ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the deployment of a weatherization program in Pinal County. Operated and administered by the Community Action Human Resources Agency (CAHRA), the program has improved living conditions for countless senior citizens and economically challenged folks throughout our county.  Some of the funding partners are Southwest Gas, APS, Arizona Energy Office, SRP, and the Arizona Community Action Association. This past year also saw tens of thousands of ARRA (stimulus) dollars spent to increase the scope and benefit of the program.
 
I would like to close by urging all of us still financially solvent to consider those who haven’t weathered the economic storm of 2010. Any and all contributions to any or all of our local not-for-profit charitable organizations that provide assistance to the less fortunate desperately need our help. Whether it’s the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign, the Marines’ Toys for Tots program, the Food Banks of Casa Grande, Maricopa and/or Eloy, the Against Abuse and/or St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores or your local church effort – please give if you can.
 
May the blessings of the holiday season be yours.  Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Feliz Navidad to all and to all the very best of a New Year.

David Snider is Pinal County District 3 supervisor.

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