Community Newsletter | September 2021
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Babysitting Safety Course
Sat., Sept 25 | 9 am - 4 pm
In-person class held on the hospital campus in Sedro-Woolley
The American Red Cross Babysitter’s Training course provides youth who are planning to babysit with the knowledge and skills necessary to care for children and infants safely and responsibly. A mix of presentations and activities makes this course engaging, informative, and fun! The in-person class takes place over 7 hours (including lunch and breaks) and will be held at United Fitness Center. Upon completion, participants will receive a Red Cross Babysitters' Certificate. Please note that all participants must wear masks, and class size is limited to 8.
Cost: $80 (a discounted rate is available for income-eligible households).
Find more information and register here.
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Advanced Motivational Interviewing
Fri, Sept 24 from 8:30 am – 3 pm | Online
Person-centered support for behavior change can be applied to many professions and in settings with both youth and adults. Anyone with previous Motivational Interviewing (MI) experience can benefit from the 6.5 hour Advanced MI course taught by Dr. Jonnae Tillman. The class is offered at no cost to participants through support from the Burlington Healthy Community Coalition, Sedro-Woolley RISE coalition, and United General District 304. Click here for more info and registration.
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Survivors of Suicide Community Conversation
Fri, Sept 10 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Online
World Suicide Prevention Day, held every year on September 10th, is an opportunity for survivors, and the people who care for and serve them, to come together to learn, share, and find healing through hope. Join facilitators David Pina, MA clinical psychology, and Elizabeth Ruth, CHES, for a community conversation held over Zoom. There is no cost to attend, however registration is required to help ensure a safe and welcoming space.
Learn more and register here
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Question, Persuade, Refer - Suicide Prevention Class
Tue, Sept 7 | 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Thu, Sept 9 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Online
QPR is a FREE suicide prevention training for anyone age 16+. Together, we can prevent suicide. Learn how to recognize the warning signs and apply QPR to save a life. Please join us for one of the online Zoom meetings listed above. Register here
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Strengthening Families Program (SFP) Facilitator Training 3-day class
Sept. 22-24 from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm | Classes held at The Landing:2136 State Route 20, Sedro-Woolley
All families have strengths, and as an SFP facilitator, you help bring them out! This September, become certified to facilitate youth, parent, and family sessions for the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth aged 10-14. Held over three full days on September 22-24, this in-person training is offered at no cost to participants and certification lasts for three years. Previous SFP participants and other caring adults are encouraged to register here by September 17th.
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Skagit Families Have a New Ally |
Gaby Camarena is the new Family Resource Navigator for Help Me Grow Skagit! A native Spanish speaker and long-term Skagit resident, Gaby has a wealth of lived experience from accessing local services for her own family. And her passion for helping families, especially in the Spanish-speaking community, led her to a Human Services degree from Skagit Valley College. In her new role, Gaby is employed through WithinReach and will be supporting families over phone, text, and email. Once in-person services are safe to resume, she will be based out of the Children’s Museum of Skagit County!
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Help Me Grow Skagit aims to offer families seamless access to community services and support so they can easily connect to what they need, when they need it. Starting mid-September, folks will be able to call or text Gaby to help guide them. The number to call or text is 360-630-8352 or send an email to helpmegrowskagit@gmail.com
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Harvest of the Month
The last days of summer mean two things: back to school is here and ripe tomatoes are on the vine! Students in the Concrete and Sedro-Woolley school districts will experience both through the innovative Harvest of the Month program this September. Fresh cherry tomatoes from local farms will be available to sample across all grade levels. Trying new fruits and veggies and enjoying classic favorites with their peers helps reinforce a taste for healthy foods of all kinds.
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Grant to Expand Sedro-Woolley's Farm to School Program |
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United General District 304 was recently awarded a grant for more than $90,000 from the USDA to expand the Farm to School program in the Sedro-Woolley School District. You can read more about the grant and the program in the featured Skagit Valley Herald article here
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An Extraordinary Trek for Treasure Finale |
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Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s epic Trek for Treasure finale! Approximately 200 teams (600 participants) completed all 6 hikes in this summer’s program, qualifying them to take part in the Final Challenge on Aug. 28th.
On the morning of the Challenge, teams eagerly awaited a set of poems, released at 8 am, which were the final clues to the locations of the hidden gemstones. Within 20 minutes, winners claimed all six of the 1st place spots! Throughout the weekend, trekkers continued to solve the clues and set out to the hiding places scattered throughout Skagit County. In the end, a whopping 70 teams found all six gemstones, securing their places in a raffle for prizes specially reserved for those with the tenacity to find them all.
Check out this webpage to see our 2021 winners!
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Creating Hope through Action |
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Suicide has a ripple effect throughout communities, meaning most of our lives have been touched in some way. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to come together to learn, share resources, and find healing through hope. In partnership with NAMI of Skagit County, we are offering several opportunities for people to get involved.
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"Stigma is a major barrier to seeking help. Changing the narrative around suicide through the promotion of hope can create a more compassionate society where those in need feel more comfortable in coming forward to seek help. We can all do something to live in a world where suicide is recognized, and we can all do something to help prevent it."
– International Association for Suicide Prevention, 2021
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We often get questions about our relationship to the hospital. The short and sweet answer is:
Since 1965 Skagit County Public Hospital District #304 has provided care for the people of northern and eastern Skagit County. Through an operating agreement, PeaceHealth now provides direct medical services. We serve the community at large with programs across six pillars of health and wellbeing under the name United General District 304.
We are fortunate to collaborate on many initiatives with PeaceHealth and other healthcare agencies across Skagit County and our region. You can read more about who we are in the “get to know us” section of our website!
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Did you know you can use your Fred Meyer card to help make our programs possible? Through Fred Meyer Community Rewards, you can link your card to Foundation of District 304. Link your card in person on your next visit, or click here to do it online. Funds support classes, trainings, and programs for Foundation of District 304 at no cost to you! |
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