National Health Center Week

Northwest Health Services will join the rest of America's more than 1,200 community health centers in celebrating National Health Center Week 2009 Aug. 9 through 15.

Northwest Health Services will host "coffee stops" and "juice stops" at all its clinics throughout the week for members of the community to stop by and get acquainted: juice stops are from 8 to 10 a.m. today at the Cainsville Medical Health Center and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in Maysville, Mo., for a back-to-school fair; a coffee stop from 7 to 9 a.m. today in Mound City, Mo.; a juice stop from 8 to 10 a.m. Aug. 12 in King City, Mo.; coffee stops from 7 to 9 a.m. Aug. 13 at the Hamilton, Mo., and Braymer, Mo., health centers; a coffee stop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 13 at a back-to-school fair in Plattsburg, Mo.; a coffee stop from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 13 at a back-to-school fair in Stanberry, Mo.; and a coffee stop from 7 to 9 a.m. Aug. 14 at the Savannah (Mo.) Medical Center.

Lunches promote women's health

In an effort to educate women on health issues and provide them with information that will help them to be better advocates for their health, the Social Welfare Board is partnering with the YWCA to host a series of luncheons at no cost to the women attending. The first luncheon, "Be Wise, Know Your Body," is scheduled for noon Aug. 12, in the terrace room at the YWCA, 304 N. Eighth St. The next luncheon, "Protect and Detect," will be held on Sept. 16 in the terrace room at the YWCA, 304 N. Eighth St. "Ingredients for a Healthy Lifestyle," will be held Oct. 28. A light buffet will be served at each luncheon, and a guest speaker will present health information.

The two topics that will be covered during the first luncheon will be information on skin and breast cancers. Heart disease and breast cancer will be the topics of the second luncheon, and the importance of good nutrition as it relates to the prevention of diseases such as cancer and heart disease will be discussed at the third luncheon.

Reservations can be made by calling the YWCA at 232-4481. The deadline for reservations for the first luncheon was Monday, but the YWCA will accommodate those who call today. The deadline for reservations for the second luncheon is 5 p.m. Sept. 14, and the deadline for reservations for the third is 5 p.m. Oct. 26. The luncheons will be open to the first hundred women who make reservations.

Cobblestone Fun Run

Community Medical Center of Falls City, Neb., will sponsor a 1-mile, 5K and 10K run Aug. 22 during the city's Cobblestone Festival. All proceeds will go to the "healing garden" design and landscaping of the new hospital, under construction and set to open in November. Registration forms are available in the hospital lobby and online at www.cmcfc.org.

Blood drives are Aug. 17 and 18

Community Blood Center will hold blood drives from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 17 at Habitat for Humanity in the Community Blood Center, 3122 Frederick Ave., and from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 in the fellowship hall at Grace Evangelical Church, 5103 S. 50th St.

To make an appointment for the Aug. 17 drive, call Dawn Gallegos at 364-5733 or go online to www.esavealifenow.org and use sponsor code habitat for. To make an appointment for the Aug. 18 drive, call Jeanette Marriott at 279-2090 or go online to www.esavealifenow.org and use sponsor code graceevangelical.

Lifestyles reporter Erin Wisdom can be reached at ewisdom@npgco.com.