Merrimack Valley Magazine

Merrimack Valley Food Bank Requests Donations for COVID-19 Crisis

April 29, 2020 by Kristin Cole

For those of us who are looking for ways to help during this pandemic, the Merrimack Valley Food Bank is looking for donations for families in need.

Merrimack Valley Food Bank Inc. (MVFB), one of four food banks in Massachusetts, is a community-supported nonprofit organization that provides food and essential personal care items to programs serving low-income families and homeless individuals. During the COVID-19 crisis, MVFB has remained open and working with food pantries, meals programs and shelters on the front lines distributing food to those in need, providing grab & go meals and delivering food in emergency situations.

With unemployment sharply rising, MVFB is expecting to serve 80,000 people in the coming weeks, many of them citizens who have never had to request help before. These families depend on the food bank to provide them with necessities so that they can remain healthy during the COVID-19 crisis.

Those looking to help can drop shelf stable produce, perishable food donations and supermarket gift cards at the MVFB’s distribution center between Monday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monetary donations can be made remotely via the food bank’s website. For more information, visit the MVFB website or the MVFB Facebook page.

Baker-Polito Administration Extends Non-Essential Business Closures

April 28, 2020 by Doug Sparks

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration extended the essential services emergency order to May 18 and launched a Reopening Advisory Board that will produce a plan to the governor by that date. The administration also announced that the Department of Public Health’s Stay At Home Advisory remains in effect and gatherings of 10 or more people remain prohibited until May 18.

Businesses and organizations not on the list of essential services are encouraged to continue operations through remote means that do not require workers, customers, or the public to enter or appear at the brick-and-mortar premises closed by the order. This order also extends the existing ban on gatherings of more than 10 people.

The Department of Public Health’s stay-at-home advisory will remain in effect. Residents are strongly urged to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel and other unnecessary person-to-person contact during this time period. Residents who are considered at high risk when exposed to COVID-19 should limit social interactions with other people as much as possible.

Baker also announced the formation of the Reopening Advisory Board, which will be co-chaired by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, and includes Lawrence mayor Daniel Rivera. This group is charged with advising the administration on strategies to reopen the economy in phases based on health and safety metrics. It will meet with key stakeholders and solicit input from a variety of constituencies over the next three weeks to develop a report that will include DPH approved workplace safety standards, industry frameworks and customer protocols and guidelines, including enforcement mechanisms and coordination with municipal leaders.

Events Update – Updated 4/27/20

April 27, 2020 by Digital Manager

Because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses and organizations around the Valley have rescheduled or canceled events to combat any potential spreading. Here, you will find a list of all canceled/postponed events in the Valley (organized by their original date).

Ongoing

The Whistler House Museum of Art will be closed until May 31, 2020

While initially hopeful that they would be able to get back to work this summer, the Firehouse Center for the Arts has made the difficult, but necessary, decision to cancel all programming through August 2020.

March 18

Business Resource Fair with UMASS Lowell: UMass Lowell has postponed all community events. New date TBD.

Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce Health Fair: This event has been postponed. New date TBD.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre 2019-2020 Season: “The Lowell Offering” will kick off next season in October 2020 (one month later than the usual start date). ‘Erma Bombeck’ will be a part of next season as well.

March 19

We Share A Common Thread Fundraiser: Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union have decided to convert their We Share A Common Thread Fundraiser to a virtual event. Click here to visit their site.

White Ribbon Day Celebration: YWCA has canceled their White Ribbon Day celebration.

March 20

Rooms in Bloom Preview Party: This Trustees event has been canceled. To see a full list of canceled events, click here.

March 21

Old House & Barn Expo: N.H. Preservation Alliance Board of Directors has postponed their Old House & Barn Expo. New date TBD.

A Night on the Edge: The Michelle Canning Band’s Alzheimer’s benefit concert has been postponed to June 13.

Chelmsford, Mass. | MichelleCanning.net

March 22

Old House & Barn Expo: N.H. Preservation Alliance Board of Directors has postponed their Old House & Barn Expo. New date TBD.

10th Annual Celebrating Whittier: This celebration of the 100th anniversary of American women achieving their right to vote and celebrate the spirit that has paved the way for future women’s rights progress has been postponed. New date TBD.

March 23

NECC Health and Wellness Fair: Northern Essex Community College has canceled this event. To see a full list of canceled NECC events, click here.

March 25

Community Connections Breakfast: Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce have postponed the Community Connections Breakfast scheduled for March 25. New date TBD.

Free State Programs Your Business Doesn’t Know About: UMass Lowell Innovation Hub has partnered with the Mass Office of Business Development and the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission plan to reschedule. TBD.

March 26

Annual Thomas G. Kelakos Community Spirit Award: Kiwanis Club of Greater Lowell Honoring Kathy and Scott Plath has been rescheduled for Sep. 17.

The Lawrence Promise: This program at the Northern Essex Community College Lawrence campus has been canceled.

March 27

Winning Opportunities for Women’s Conference: WOW has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 25. Everything but the date will remain the same and all tickets and vendor tables will be held for the new date.

Annual Legislative Forum: Northeast Independent Living Program has made the decision to cancel their Annual Legislative Forum scheduled for March 27 at the Mass School of Law.

March 28

NECC Plans Lawrence Campus Open House: Northern Essex Community College has canceled this event. To see a full list of canceled NECC events, click here.

April 1

April Leads Lunch: The Greater Haverhill Chamber’s April Leads Lunch is cancelled. Make sure your calendars are marked for May 6. Leads Lunch is still on for May.

April 2

Brand Launch Party: We need to cancel this would-be-historic event. In lieu, they’ll be sharing information about our new branding virtually. Maybe a party or something later in the year.

Jay Leno at Lowell: Jay Leno’s appearance at Lowell Memorial Auditorium has been postponed.

April 3

The April 3 River Bards poetry night with featured poet Zara Raab has been canceled. No other events in this series have been canceled at this time

April 4

6th Annual Stepping Out With The Valley Stars: The Emmaus annual gala will transition into an expanded online auction and virtual event in early June (exact date to be determined).

Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day: Haverhill’s museum of printing has canceled this event.

April 5

The Windham Community Band has postponed their 21st Annual Showcase of Music. All tickets previously purchased will be honored.

April 12

The Emmaus annual gala, “Stepping out with the Valley Stars,” has been canceled and replaced with an online auction. The expanded online auction and virtual event will occur in early June, with the exact date to be determined.

If you have purchased tickets, sponsored the event, or purchased an ad in their program book, please consider your support as a donation to Emmaus. Your contribution will go toward their current efforts of keeping people safe during this unprecedented health crisis.

May 10

The Temptations & The Four Tops, previously scheduled for Sunday, May 10 at 7:00 pm at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, has been postponed to Thursday, November 19 at 7:30pm.

May 14

The YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts 37th Annual Tribute to Women scheduled for May 14, 2020 has been postponed. The YWCA is actively seeking to reschedule and will keep you informed when they have secured a new date.

May 31

UMass Lowell announced on March 25 that it is cancelling all events through May 31. For a complete list of canceled events, click here.

June 5

Debbie’s Treasure Chest has decided to postpone their second annual Gala slated for June 5, 2020.

Haverhill First Responders Caravan in Honor of Home Health Foundation

April 24, 2020 by Kristin Cole

To celebrate the efforts of local first responders, the Haverhill Fire Department and Trinity Ambulance will lead a caravan of decorated cars during shift change to support the behind-the-scenes efforts of the visiting nurses, hospice nurses and other health care workers of the Home Health Foundation, a Lawrence-based organization fighting to protect patients and the community from the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The event will occur on Saturday, April 25, at 3 p.m. The parade begins at High Pointe House, the hospice and palliative care residence of Merrimack Valley Hospice in Haverhill. Vehicles will begin lining the right-hand side of the driveway at 2:45 p.m.

This caravan is intended to honor a special unit recently opened for patients with COVID-19 at High Pointe House, an acute care hospice residence which provides a home-like alternative to hospitalization for those in need of specialized end-of-life care.

The community is welcome to help celebrate the efforts of High Pointe House clinicians, as well as the agency’s visiting nurses.

[Note: Attendees have been asked to observe social distancing by remaining in their cars. Due to the sensitive nature of the hospice house location, emergency vehicles will display lights, but no sirens and participants will be encouraged to cheer, but not honk, scream or play loud music.]

Wellness Wednesday – 4/22/20

April 22, 2020 by Kristin Cole

WELLNESS AROUND THE WEB

Routines and Movement

Whether you’re working from home or making a daily commute, homeschooling via Zoom or learning a new skill for pleasure, we are all experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many advice columns across the web offering helpful ways to navigate this new normal. Healthline offers advice on beginning and maintaining a healthy routine here. It highlights the importance of routines in boosting our sense of ownership and control over our lives, which can feel threatened in these trying times. Additionally, the article mentions the pomodoro method, which I am familiar with, as it was suggested to my classmates and me by one of our professors for increasing productivity.

Healthline also discusses ways to stay active during quarantine. While we may be stuck inside, there is no reason not to keep moving. If you need even more motivation, consider this: some of the positive effects of physical activity include reduced stress and anxiety and a healthier immune system (which we all need right about now). Healthline’s article offers advice about getting creative with resistance exercises, which is something I desperately needed during this time. As a regular gym-goer, I’ve been struggling to adjust to living room workouts — a lack of equipment seems to result in lack of motivation. But I’m learning that soup cans, broomsticks, milk jugs and many other household items can be used as makeshift weights. I’m beginning to think that maybe I should move my workouts to the kitchen.

What Is and Isn’t Effective

While it seems as if science, politics, the media and the general public are all scrabbling to find solid facts concerning the spread of COVID-19 , a new study by U.K. health officials has made an interesting conclusion: that paper towels are more effective than air dryers when reducing the spread of the virus. The study found that jet air dryers left about ten times more surface contamination on hands than paper towels did, however, this issue exists because of one big red flag: poorly washed hands. We can’t rely on a drying method to eliminate the virus. Come on people, water and soap for 20 seconds!

In other science news, the FDA released a statement about wiping down your groceries. Good news: there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted via food products and packaging. Regardless, it is important to practice sanitary measures, so you should still take the extra precautions by wiping groceries down and washing produce. There’s just no need to panic about it.

If you’re looking into making a homemade mask, Healthline detailed some of the materials for making a quality mask for yourself and others. Some of the materials include 600 thread count pillowcases and flannel pajamas. If you have the extra material and time on your hands, you can make extra masks and donate them to first responders on the front lines of this pandemic. My father, fire chief of Billerica Fire Department, has been extremely grateful for all of the masks donated to his station by city residents.

Ways to Contribute

On the topic of giving back, Brie Dyas at Country Living offers five different ways to volunteer virtually during this time. You don’t need any experience or first responder training, and you can do it remotely from the comfort of your home. While many of us battle with the uncertainty of this frightening situation, volunteering is a great way to give back and boost your sense of purpose.

Another way to give back to both the planet and you on this Earth Day is adoption. No, not furry friends (although they’re wonderful), we mean plants. Lindsay Tigar at Yahoo explains why quarantine is the best time to start gardening. As with volunteering, caring for something can boost your sense of involvement and control over the world around you. Plus, if you’ve tried your hand at cooking during this quarantine, caring for some veggie plants can save you a trip to the grocery store and give your homemade dishes a homegrown touch.

Keeping up with this theme of new routines and giving back, we want to encourage you to celebrate Earth Day in the best, socially distant ways possible. Adam Schubak of Good Housekeeping offers 45 simple lifestyle changes you can make to help the planet. While we are all in a stressful limbo of waiting for good news, it’s a great time to utilize our free schedule to practice living an eco-friendly life.

Looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day? Join the Merrimack River Watershed Council for a virtual Earth Day Happy Hour via Facebook Live. The event takes place on the social media site on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m. Sign up for the event here.

One Last Thing: Health and Wellness is About You Feeling Good, and That’s Exactly What These Stories Will Make You Do

First, for all of you dog-lovers, Medical Detection Dogs, a charity in England who has already found success training dogs to detect malaria, is working with these furry friends to train them to detect the smell of COVID-19. If only I can train my two lab mutts to stop rolling in the mud during these April showers.

And for all the hopeless romantics out there, a story of two individuals (one being a first responder) who are keeping their romance alive despite quarantining separately during this pandemic. The article also explains why love is “particularly sweet in the time of coronavirus.” Maybe The Beatles were on to something.