To have an item listed, mail to the Gazette-Packet, 1604 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314; fax to 703-917-0991 or e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Friday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. If you have any questions, call Marguerite Rogers at 703-917-6407.
A Fibromyalgia/Arthritis Support Group meets the 2nd Thursday of each Month, at 1 p.m. at Sherwood Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane. The next meeting is March 10 at 1 p.m.
The guest speaker will be Mary Beth Gibbons, and the topic is Qigong gentle exercise with demonstration. Call the Arthritis Foundation at 202-537-6800. Ext.3339 or call Barbara at 703-913-0890.
The Inova Hospital System asks the public to give blood now. There is a need for all types of blood, with an emergency need for Type O-positive & O-negative. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. There are T-shirt for all donors. Call 1-866-BLOODSAVES (1-866-256-6372). A photo ID is required. Allow 1 hour for donation. In the Alexandria/Mount Vernon areas, blood can be given at
Inova Alexandria Hospital, 4320 Seminary Road, 703-504-3500 or at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, 2501 Parker's Lane, 703-664-7229.
There will be Celiac Disease Lectures and Workshops on April 3, from 12-8:30 p.m., at Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner, 8661 Leesburg Pike, Vienna. Free; open to the public. At the CSA/USA Regional Conference learn about living and loving every aspect of the gluten-free life, don't just survive on the Gluten-Free Diet, thrive on the Gluten-Free. Adult and Children's programs and workshops with practical guidelines on preparing for social events and discovering ways for children to feel special and not set apart. Call 703-471-5047 or e-mail mvineyard40@comcast.net. Visit
http://www.csaceliacs.org/RegConfChp100.php.
United Ostomy Association, Northern Virginia Chapter monthly support group meeting, Sunday, April 3 at 2 p.m. at INOVA Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, in the Physicians' Conference Center. Fellowship and refreshments begin at 1:30 p.m. Dr. Dan Albrant, a pharmacist will discuss prescription and OTC medications, actions and interactions. Also, there will be "Ask the Pharmacist" Q&A. Free. All are welcome; parking in Blue garage is free with ticket stamped at UOA meeting. Call the chapter phone at 703-802-3457 or visit www.novachapteruoa.org.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) sponsors groups for injured victims and for relatives and friends of those who have been killed in drunk driving crashes. The next Injured Victim Support Group meeting will be held Tuesday, April 5, 2005 at 7 p.m. New participants are always welcome. Free. Call 703-978-3025.
The YMCA Alexandria, 420 East Monroe Avenue, will hold Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 2 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Events include children's relays, health screenings, kid targrted CPR and First AID exercises, foot events and more. Free prizes and giveaways. Parents can also sign-up for summer day camp.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Hotline helps those who are newly diagnosed or under treatment for breast cancer. Staffed 24 hours a day by trained peer counselor breast
cancer survivors: 1-800-221-2141 in English with interpreters available in 150 languages; 1-800-986-9505 in Spanish. Also one-on-one matches with a breast cancer survivor.
Capitol Health Solutions, located in Alexandria, is starting a new study about a growing issue in long term care: decreased access to social services. The study will include identification of who needs to be discharged and when, determination of resident needs for safe discharge, forms and other tools used, identification of resources for discharge, preferred methods of contacting post discharges care providers, where residents go after discharge and the resources needed, typical additional needs and ways to reduce the time per discharge. Nursing facilities that wish to improve their discharge planning and increase the availability of social workers to their residents can participate in the study or receive a copy of the final report. Contact Capitol Health Solutions, PO Box 1670, Alexandria, VA 22313, 202-276-3328.
Haven of Northern Virginia is offering the following Bereavement Support Groups at 4606 Ravensworth Road, Annandale:
* General Bereavement Group: First and third Wednesday evening of each month, 7:30-9 p.m.
* Suicide Survivors Bereavement Group: First Tuesday evening of each month, 7:30-9 p.m.
* Widow/Widower Support Groups: First and third Thursday evening of each month, 2-3:30 p.m.; Second and fourth Tuesday evening of each month, 7:30-9 p.m.
Joyful Heart Yoga for body, mind and spirit. Mondays, 10 a.m., at St. Marks, 6744 South Kings Highway and 5:30 p.m., at Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 North Royal St.; Tuesdays, 7 p.m., at Mount Vernon Unitarian, 1909 Windmill Lane. Call Sandy at 703-971-2214 or go to joyfulheartyoga.com.
The Board of Parents for Autistic Children's Education, Inc. (PACE Inc.), a nonprofit organization serving the autism community since 1996, has voted to become the Northern Virginia Chapter of Parents of Autistic Children (POAC-NoVA).
POAC is an international organization dedicated to improving the public education of special-needs students by providing opportunities for scientifically-based training to parents, teachers and related personnel that provide direct services to children with autism and other developmental
disabilities. POAC-NoVA will continue holding monthly parent support and information meetings the second Saturday of each month at the Thomas Jefferson Library, 7415 Arlington Blvd. (Route 50), Falls Church. Visit http://www.poac.net or call 703-391-2251.
Burn Survivors Group. A group for people with serious burn injuries and their family and friends meet from 7:30-9 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month except December in the American Red Cross Building, 123 N. Alfred St., Alexandria. For more information, call 703-698-1626.
The Fairfax County Health Department is launching a major volunteer recruitment drive to staff the Fairfax Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), a program of the Fairfax County Citizen Corps. More than 13,000 medical and nonmedical volunteers are needed to respond to a full-scale public health emergency in Fairfax County. The Fairfax MRC needs volunteer physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, mental health professionals, as well as a large number of nonmedical volunteers are needed to provide general support. For more information or to volunteer, call 703-246-2485, TTY 703-591-6435, or e-mail donna.foster@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Take off Pounds Sensibly, TOPS chapter VA #280, Alexandria, meets Thursdays, at 10 a.m., at the Hollin Hall Senior Center on Shenandoah Road. For more information, call Joan at 703-751-6086.
Alzheimer's Support Group. The Alzheimer's Association Caregiver Support Group meets the first Wednesday of each month, at 4:30 p.m., at the Alexandria Adult Day Health Center. The group is free and open to the community. The Alexandria Adult Day Health Center is located at 1108 Jefferson St. Call 703-838-4224 before attending to verify time and location.
Alexandria Red Cross relies on volunteers to sustain its humanitarian mission for disaster relief efforts, to teach first aid and CPR, for the Friendly Visitor Program and other community service work, special events, administrative support, to work with the Junior Red Cross and for blood donation services for the citizens of Alexandria. Training is provided. Call 703-549-8300 or see the Web site at http://www.alexandriaredcross.org.
Haven of Northern Virginia sponsors several ongoing free bereavement groups meeting throughout Fairfax County. For more information, call 703-941-7000 or visit www.havenofnova.org.
The Mount Vernon Community Wellness Initiative has published a free educational pamphlet, "High Blood Pressure: Learn the Facts and Reduce the Risks." The pamphlet is being distributed to churches, libraries, pharmacies, physician's offices and community organizations. For a copy, call 703-360-4000.
CrisisLink has been helping people deal with anxiety, stress and crisis throughout the entire metropolitan area for 35 years. Feel free to call them at 703-527-4077 or 1-800-784-2433, or learn more about their confidential, free hot line and crisis response services on the web at www.crisislink.org.
Emotions Anonymous (EA) is a 12-Step fellowship for people whose emotions are causing difficulties in their lives. A local group of Emotions Anonymous meets every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Shiloh Meeting and Conference Center (SMCC), 1400 Duke St. Call 703-660-8798, or send an e-mail to hemsidan@aaahawk.com.