Brunswick County celebrates healthy counties, healthy families

By Cheryle Jones Syracuse
Family and Consumer Science Staff
NC Cooperative Extension
Brunswick County Center
Our Brunswick County Commissioners have proclaimed this National County Government Month. The theme for this celebration is “Healthy Counties, Healthy Families.” This is a great time for us to look at the programs and services that we have here in Brunswick County that encourage and support healthy families in our community.
The county is hosting numerous events during the month of April to enhance the public’s awareness of the many programs and services offered that either directly or indirectly impact the health of the community. There is a complete list of planned events on the county website at www.brunsco.net.
Here is just a portion of the many items listed:
The Mobile Health Unit from the Brunswick County Health Department will be at all Walmart stores every Tuesday this month. If you missed the first two Tuesdays, you still have a chance from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Walmart in Leland on April 17 and the Walmart in Shallotte on April 24. In addition to free blood pressure checks, they offer the TDaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine free of charge. Drop-ins are welcome.
Along with the Mobile Health Unit, there will be a festival-type atmosphere with displays and exhibits from other county departments, including EMS, Department of Social Services, Parks and Rec, NC Cooperative Extension and Animal Services.
Sarah Barnwell, the new county extension agent, Family and Consumer Science from our N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Brunswick County, will be at these locations sharing information about healthy eating. Stop in to welcome her to the county and learn more about the new Choose MyPlate.
Animal Services will be there both days from 11 a.m.-noon with information on adopting a pet, as well as a raffle to win a free spay or neuter service for your pet.
In addition to the activities at Walmart, the County Emergency Service (EMS) will be at Leland County Park on Saturday, April 14, and Smithfield Park on Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. They will be teaching Citizen CPR. In less than 5 minutes, they will teach you the basics needed to save someone’s life.
If you miss the Mobile Health Unit this month, they plan to visit Walmart throughout the year. Contact the health department at 253-2250 for a complete schedule of times and locations.
Free disposal at the county landfill is the week of April 16-21. This is a good way to keep our county clean and healthy (and the price is right). They are open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday that week and are accepting yard waste, large household items and other things that you would not put in your regular garbage can. This includes computers and electronics. The landfill is at 172 Landfill Road, off U.S. 17 in Bolivia.
There will also be a household hazardous waste collection and clothing drive from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at the school bus parking lot at Shallotte Middle School, 225 Village Road in Shallotte. This is your chance to safely dispose of hazardous items such as oil based paints and old pesticides and herbicides.
We have a special fun event scheduled at the N.C. Cooperative Extension office at 2 p.m. April 26. We are conducting a cooking class on making your own salsa. It’s called Celebrate Salsa and will in the Extension Training Center in Building N at the Government Complex in Bolivia. I’ll be teaching this class and will have lots of ideas on making salsa, adding it to your favorite (and maybe new favorite) recipes and we’ll have some different salsas to taste. This class is free and open to the public. Come join the fun.
If you’re interested in learning to can your own salsa, there’s a fact sheet available from N.C. Cooperative Extension called “Celebrate with Safe Salsa.” We’ll have these fact sheets available at the class or you can request one from our office by calling 253-2610.
In addition to the planned events and activities, we will be highlighting the series of one department each week. Be sure to check back at the website each week to learn about new activities and county departments.
Join the commissioners and the county departments as we celebrate the great services we have available in Brunswick County helping to keep us a healthy county with healthy families.