Now and Then – 2020 not the first class to graduate early
by Jean Martin
This is the way the school year ends, not with a bang, but a whimper – with apologies to T.S. Elliot
St. Johns High School students who are a part of the Class of 2020 apparently have ended their secondary school education. On Thursday Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office said that all high school seniors will be given the opportunity to graduate this year so that they can make a successful postsecondary transition.
Most of us don’t remember it, but this has happened before in St. Johns. In 1933 at the height of the Great Depression the Class of 1933 ended their school year on May 5 when the school district simply ran out of money. On March 1 the School Board had put all school staff members on half pay, but it wasn’t enough to get them through to June.
Personally we knew a number of people who graduated with the Rodney B. Wilson Class of 1933, and they went on to live good lives and become contributing members of the community.
We predict that once this pandemic finally ends, the St. Johns High School Class of 2020 will pick themselves up, dust themselves off and do the same.
Essential Services for Sexual Assault Survivors of All Ages
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. While our day-to-day lives are different, The SafeCenter and The Voice for Clinton County’s Children encourage everyone to help us provide services right now—reach out and check on people in your lives, be supportive of difficult information that you are entrusted (remember, you may be the first and only person someone confides in and your reaction matters), report suspected abuse (855-444-3911), and be aware that current circumstances may be a trigger for survivors.
Clinton County is fortunate to have essential services available for survivors of sexual assault. We at The SafeCenter and The Voice for Clinton County’s Children are honored to be recognized during this time with what we both know to be true—it is essential for our county to have our specific services for children, youth, women, and men who have been sexually assaulted.
The SafeCenter services children ages 4 and up, and adults who have experienced sexual violence. We have two staff dedicated to sexual violence direct services, including our Sexual Assault Advocate and Sexual Assault Therapist. Our Sexual Assault program consists of support, advocacy, counseling, and crisis intervention. SafeCenter also provides on-call emergency response during Sexual Assault Nurse Examinations (SANE) and emergency shelter for victims. All services can be accessed 24/7, 365 days per year by calling our toll free crisis hotline at 877-952-7283.
The Voice for Clinton County’s Children services children and youth who have experienced sexual assault. Through our Child Advocacy Center (CAC) we provide a safe environment for children to be heard, it is critical for children to have a safe space to tell their truth. We also provide ongoing support, for however long is needed, to non-offending family members. Our Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Volunteers work with children who are in the foster care system, one of the reasons may be sexual abuse. For more information on our services, please call (989) 640-5681; all staff contact information is also available on our website.
With the work both our agencies do, we are concerned for the safety of our community during these unprecedented times. We know protection of life and safety is imperative, we also know not everyone in our community and neighborhoods are safe. We are all very thankful for the generous support of our communities that enable everyone to be safe and supported.
For more information please visit the websites, TheSafeCenter.org and VoiceForClintonCountyChildren.org. Both agencies are also active on Facebook. We wish you and your family health, peace, and safety.
Important information about Social Security services
courtesy of Vonda Van Til, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
We recognize that you may have questions about how the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) will affect Social Security services. The first thing you should know is that we continue to pay Social Security and SSI benefits. Also beware of scammers who may try to trick you into thinking the pandemic is stopping your Social Security payments. This threat is not true. Don’t let the scammers fool you.
We want to share other important information about our services during this pandemic.
To protect you and our employees, and help stop the spread of COVID-19, we cannot accept visitors in our offices at this time. We provide many services online and limited, critical services via phone and email. During the pandemic, we are dedicating available staff to serve people in most critical need of our services.
Need help from Social Security? Many of our services are available online at www.ssa.gov/onlineservices, including:
– Applying for benefits.
– Setting up or changing your direct deposit.
– Changing your address, if you get benefits.
– Getting proof of your benefits.
We strongly encourage you to try our convenient and secure online services before calling us. Please be aware that our call wait times are much longer than normal. Save time and go online.
For more information, please visit our COVID-19 page at www.ssa.gov/coronavirus. There you can find out what limited services we can provide by phone, and important information about deadlines we are extending to ease the burden on you and medical providers during this pandemic. You can also subscribe to get an email or text message notification when we update the page so you stay informed.
A Look Back Again – Vaccination clinic
by Barry Bauer
Dr. Guy H. Frace, St. Johns health officer, is giving this young man a shot of serum in 1937 to protect him against the dreaded disease, Diphtheria. This clinic took place years before a vaccine for Polio was discovered. Vaccination clinics were started five years earlier in the St. Johns schools.
Helping with the inoculation program was Miss Maude Herron, school nurse.
Today we’re seeing a re-emergence of some of these diseases.
Letters – Superhero Season
Our typical April Activities include entering our Superhero Season leading up to our annual Superhero 5K and recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Volunteer Appreciatoin Week, and Crime Victims Rights Week.
I found it a bit ironic that during our busiest awareness month of the year, for the safety of our worlds everything will look different this year (which is not a bad thing).
Our 7th Annual Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly! has been re-scheduled for Saturday, September 26th–lots of time to register and support.
If you have not yet seen, we are asking you join us to LIFT UP OUR KIDS everyday at 3:00 p.m. as we meditate, share positive energy, pray and pause for the children we serve and the children we have not yet me. We know not all children are safe in their home during this time.
Our agency remains here to support our community–we are working remotely, our counselor remains actively seeing clients via technology, we are conducting forensic interviews, agency business continues, and many connections are maintained via technology–things may look a little different but we are here.
We appreciate your understanding and patience and wish you and your family peace and health. Please Stay Home and Stay Safe!
Kelly L. Schafer, Executive Director
VoiceForClintonCountyChildren.org
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Bloat in Dogs: Symptoms and Prevention
When a dog’s stomach fills with gas, it bloats. The expansion of the stomach puts pressure on the diaphragm, which in turn makes it hard for the dog to breathe. The stomach will also twist, causing terrible shock and rapid death. Therefore, bloating should always be treated as a dire emergency.
What To Watch For
Bloating can happen to any breed of dog at any age. However, large breeds with deep chests, like Great Danes or the large Setters, are more likely to suffer from this type of emergency. In certain instances, bloating is noted when the dog exercises immediately after eating. The most obvious symptom is, of course, an enlarged abdomen. You may also observe labored breathing, excessive drooling, vomiting, a weak pulse, and paleness in the nose and mouth.
Primary Cause
Although there are environmental and genetic factors that remain unknown, the chances of bloating are increased by overeating and excessive drinking. Allowing a dog to exercise or especially roll shortly after a meal can also cause problems.
Immediate Care
Take the dog to a vet right away. There, she will be stabilized and likely undergo gastric decompression. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to treat the dog for shock on your way to the emergency hospital.
Prevention
Providing the dog normal-sized food portions and allowing her time to digest after a meal can help prevent occurrences of bloating, at all ages. Some veterinarians will recommend that breeds more commonly affected with bloating undergo gastropexy, a surgical procedure in which the stomach is attached to the body wall to prevent it from shifting or twisting.