Key ContributionThe East Longmeadow High School Key Club recently presented a $4,000 contribution to the American Red Cross Pioneer Valley Chapter for Red Cross hurricane relief. The gift represents contributions collected by the Key Club at an October powder puff football event at the high school. The football teams were comprised of girls recruited to play; the regular football players took on the role of cheerleaders. During the games, collection cans were available for attendees, and proceeds of concessions were donated toward the effort as well. The $4,000 was the most collected by the Key Club in the last 20 years at this event. The American Red Cross continues to help individuals and families affected by the storms and hurricanes this fall.
Ladies and Germs
Jewish Geriatric Services staff members Cynthia Shooltz, infection control practitioner (left), and Ellen Furman, director of staff education, pose with “Sally,” an instructional mannequin in the “Room of Horrors,” a creative learning exercise designed for Infection Prevention Week in October. The purpose, Shooltz said, was to capture the attention of staff members and to remind them of the importance of hand hygiene as well as raise their awareness of infection prevention. “This is of ongoing importance at our facility,” she said. “However, with children back in school and the beginning of flu season, it is the ideal time for everyone to be mindful of washing hands and everything else people can do to reduce the transmission of infection.”
‘Invest in Yourself’
Finding a job in today’s economy can be challenging. For survivors of domestic violence, employment creates the financial independence that allows a woman to break away from an abusive relationship. Womanshelter/Companeras, a Holyoke-based, nonprofit organization that empowers individuals whose lives are affected by battering and abuse, recently teamed up with Verizon Wireless and Dress For Success to present an “Invest in Yourself” workshop. The free event was available to women using the Womanshelter Companeras support services. Pictured left to right are Verizon Wireless human resources personnel Laurie Severino, who presented the program in English, and Olga Mendez, who presented in Spanish, with Womanshelter Companeras staffer Karen Cavanaugh.
