Merrimack Valley Magazine

NoteWorthy – 12/8/19

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Merrimack Valley Food Bank Feeds Thousands for Thanksgiving

On Nov. 22 and 23, The Merrimack Valley Food Bank‘s staff and volunteers distributed Thanksgiving food and gift cards to 290 neighbors, in partnership with United Way of Massachusetts Bay​. This is in addition to turkeys, fixings, shelf-stable and fresh food distributed throughout the month of November to families in 31 communities.

Lowell Community Health Center Winter Mixer

Lowell Community Health Center’s (Lowell CHC) Developing Leaders Council Winter Mixer is once again helping to shake up the holiday season. This year’s event is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at Lowell CHC.

Event proceeds will benefit Lowell CHC’s Teen BLOCK, a free after-school and summer program for teens ages 13 to 19 that focuses on leadership development, making healthy choices, and civic engagement.

Lawrence Partnership Annual Meeting 2019

 

Lawrence Partnership‘s 6th Annual Meeting, just like previous years, will be full of energy and ideas. The event welcomes well over 400 guests, scores of high-profile sponsors and engaging and inspiring speakers.

Prominent speakers this year include Prabal Chakrabarti, senior vice president of Federal Reserve Bank Boston; Betty Francisco, co-founder of Amplify Latinx; Juana Matias, COO of MassINC; and more.

Due to the snow storm, this event was rescheduled from its original date. It will now be held on Wed., Dec. 18, and you can register or re-register here.

Greater Lowell Community Foundation Receives Grant for Asthma Spacers for School Kids

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) received a recent $20,000 grant from the Greater Lowell Health Alliance for the Asthma Spacers for School Kids program. In partnership with Respiratory Delivery Systems Inc. in Chelmsford, GLCF will make two 510k FDA-approved asthma medicine delivery devices, the Microspacer and Microchamber, available for free to Greater Lowell area students in need.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NECC VP Receives Scholarship

Michael McCarthy, Northern Essex Community College’s vice president of administration and finance, recently received the David H. Lord Scholarship for Exemplary Community Service from National Association of College Auxiliary Services, the largest auxiliary and ancillary services support organization serving higher education.

McCarthy was recognized for his work overseeing The Revolving Test Kitchen in Lawrence, which the college co-manages with the Lawrence Partnership. Part of Northern Essex’s Lawrence Campus, the test kitchen gives local start-up restaurants the opportunity to run a trial of their business model, build their capacity and clientele, understand the local market, and prepare to grow into a permanent location.

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and don’t forget…

Sip, Shop, and Shimmy!

Sip, Shop and Shimmy at Dani Kaye with special guest Shawn Black of Shawn Black Photography and Couture Black.

Sip some bubbly as you shop for the holidays and get glammed for your own Instagram-worthy photos with a pair of Inferno wings!

Dani Kaye will be offering 20% off your purchase, and anyone who spends over $100 will be eligible for a slew of fabulous raffle prizes, including a Mini Boudoir Wing Session with Shawn Black.

Wellness Wednesday – 12/4/19

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WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

The Fiber of Youth and Health

By Rebecca Moy, BSN, RN, Solace Wellness Center & MedSpa 

Collagen is a protein fiber that makes up 30% of the protein found in our skin, bones, muscles and tendons. For the skin, collagen is what keeps it looking supple, smooth and youthful. 

But did you know that, starting in our 20s, collagen production starts to slow down? Collagen is also negatively affected by sun exposure, alcohol, stress, smoking and pollution buildup on our skin, thus speeding the aging process by making our skin thinner, drier and saggier. So what can we do? There is no miracle cream that will keep you looking young forever, but there are treatments and procedures to slow down the aging process.  

The key is to find ways to stimulate collagen and protect your skin. Today, we have technology such as radio frequency, micro-needling, growth factors like PRP/PRF to supercharge your skin to build new collagen. A more recent use of surgical grade threads to lift tissue and build collagen targets both loss of skin volume and sagging. These threads allow plumping and lifting without surgery. You shouldn’t forget to wear a quality sunscreen, have a good home skin routine that includes exfoliants, retinols and Vitamin C and make lifestyle and nutritional changes to round out a long term plan for skin health.  

At Solace, we pride ourselves in using technology to analyze your skin and customize a treatment and maintenance plan for each individual. We use radio frequency, micro-needling, chemical peels, PRF and nonsurgical lifting threads as well as superb skin care products to help you fight the battle against aging. Give us a call and we’ll show you how!   

(978) 851-8600 | FoundSolace.com 

What This Sunny, Religious Town in California Teaches Us About Living Longer

Loma Linda is nestled between mountain peaks in the middle of California’s San Bernardino Valley. According to CNN, this city is known as an epicenter of health and wellness, with more than 900 physicians on the campus of Loma Linda University and Medical Center.  

But that’s not Loma Linda’s only wellness claim to fame. This city is one of the five original blue zones — regions in the world where people live longest and are the healthiest. In fact, the people in this community tend to live eight-to-10 years longer than the average American. Experts say that’s because Loma Linda has one of the highest concentrations of Seventh-day Adventists in the world. The religion mandates a healthy lifestyle and a life of service to the church and community, which contributes to their longevity.

Winter Survival Tips for Health and Home

In light of the recent snowstorm that pummeled most of the Valley earlier this week, here are some important safety tips to keep in mind while you brace for the snow, courtesy of The Washington Post.

●In the home, water pipes exposed to outdoor cold can freeze and burst. Turn off the flow and drain the water.

●Lower the storm windows and check for under-door drafts. If windows are stuck, try a lubrication spray. For doors, draft stoppers of cloth, plastic or metal can keep out icy gusts.

●Experts suggest reversing the direction of ceiling fans so they rotate clockwise and circulate warm air down that has risen to the ceiling. There’s usually a reverse switch on the hub.

●Make sure your furnace works. Bleed air out of radiators.

●If you have a fireplace, check the chimney for animals that may have taken up residence. If you suspect an animal, you can light a piece of newspaper, stick it in the fireplace and smoke the animal out the top. Or call a chimney sweep.

●Go out now and buy ice melt, a windshield scraper, windshield washer fluid and a snow shovel before the stores sell out. You might want two bottles of washer fluid, because it can go fast.

●As for the shoveling, don’t do it if you have a heart condition. Otherwise, go easy and take rests, especially if the snow is wet.

●Take care of your neighbors, and don’t pitch snow into the roadway.

●Be careful of big icicles. They’re pretty but they can be heavy, and if they fall on you, they can hurt.

●Clean the top of your car after a snowstorm. Snow flying off a car’s roof can be dangerous to the driver behind you. In some places, you can be fined if snow from your car hits another car or injures someone.

●Don’t drive in the snow if your car can’t handle it. You’ll get stuck and irritate other motorists.

●Allow more time for everything.

●Be prepared for power outages if a storm is coming. A little extra food and water, flashlights and batteries and an independent phone charger are recommended. Extra pet food and bags for dog waste are also good to have.

●If you have to drive in the snow, go slow and be aware of your car’s ground clearance. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, remember that your car may perform better in the snow than a two-wheel-drive vehicle, but it might not stop any better.

Good luck, stay warm and don’t drive with the windshield iced over.

NoteWorthy – 12/1/19

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AROUND THE VALLEY

New England Patriot Visits Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence to Distribute Donated Turkeys for Thanksgiving

Justin Bethel, special teams standout on the New England Patriots, distributed donated turkeys to approximately 75 families at the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence on Nov. 23.

The club provides a safe, after-school haven that offers nightly meals, homework help, fitness and nutrition programs, college and career planning, community involvement, and lasting personal relationships with caring staff and volunteers for nearly 4,000 youth members.

Groundwork Lawrence Celebrates 20th Anniversary At Annual Glow Gala 

On Nov. 14, hundreds of community members came together at the Everett Mills to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Groundwork Lawrence at their Glow Gala. The annual gala is the organization’s signature fundraising event, raising money for Groundwork’s variety of programs, including park development, fresh food access, education and job training.

The event featured music from Los Sugar Kings, silent auctions and “eco-art,” which is art that incorporates the characteristics of reduce, reuse, recycle and repair. Participants in Groundwork’s youth program spoke on the impact Groundwork has made in their lives.

3M Awards Bread & Roses $30K to Expand Food Storage Capacity

Bread & Roses Community Kitchen is excited to announce the awarding of a $30,000 3M Foundation Capital Investment Grant for the construction of a custom walk-in freezer and refrigerator, effectively expanding the nonprofit’s capacity to receive and distribute fresh and frozen food to those in need across the Merrimack Valley.

3M partners with organizations globally to provide resources and empower communities to grow and succeed to create a more interconnected and thriving world.

Amesbury Carriage Museum Receives Major Donation from the Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation

The Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation has awarded $25,000 to the Amesbury Carriage Museum toward their development of the Industrial History Center in Mill 2.  This space has been donated to the museum in the city’s Upper Millyard in the historic mill building that is home to Amesbury Industrial Supply.

NECC Receives Recognition for Student Voting Rate

Northern Essex Community College’s was recently recognized for the high student voting rate of its students in the 2018 midterm elections.

Close to 32% of Northern Essex students voted in the 2018 midterm elections, which was an over 11% increase over the 2014 midterm elections.

Janel D’Agata-Lynch, coordinator of civic engagement, service-learning, and community resources at Northern Essex intends to keep the momentum going for the 2020 elections. “We’re working now to strategize how to educate the campus community and get out the vote for 2020.”

 Salem Co-operative Bank Supports New Hampshire’s Hungry

Salem Community Benefit, charitable corporation of Salem Co-operative Bank, recently donated $20,000 to the New Hampshire Food Bank. The check was presented by Ann Lally, president and CEO of Salem Co-operative Bank to the NH Food Bank’s Executive Director, Eileen Groll Liponis. 

In New Hampshire there are over 300,000 woman and children who don’t have enough to eat. New Hampshire Food Bank serves as the center for food collection and distribution to over 425 nonprofit food agencies throughout the state. NH Food Bank also prepares over 500 meals per day which are distributed to Boys & Girls Clubs. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Kevin Bartlett, Noelia Guadalupe Bare-Mobley and Douglas Naffah Inducted Into Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence Alumni Hall of Fame

Kevin Bartlett, Noelia Guadalupe Bare-Mobley and Douglas Naffah have been inducted into the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence Alumni Hall of Fame. Established to honor the personal and professional achievements of some of the club’s notable graduates, the Alumni Hall of Fame inspires youth members who are striving to make their own mark in the community and beyond.

Girls Inc. of New Hampshire Names Sharron McCarthy New Chief Executive Officer

Following a yearlong search, Girls Inc. of New Hampshire has named Sharron McCarthy, current president and publisher of McLean Communications, its new chief executive officer. McCarthy, who has served on the Girls Inc. of New Hampshire Board for three years, will replace Cathy Duffy Cullity, who is retiring next month after leading the organization for 23 years.

Wellness Wednesday – 11/27/19

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WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

Uno Deck Removes Red And Blue Cards To Keep Thanksgiving Dinner Politics-Free

Toy manufacturer Mattel, according to Yahoo News, has released a new Uno deck with the red and blue cards removed in an effort to keep political discussions among relatives at bay.

The card deck, named “nonpartisan Uno,” has been made available to purchase from U.S. retailer Walmart in time for the holiday season.

With many American families currently making preparations for their Thanksgiving festivities, Mattel hopes the nonpartisan deck will help keep the peace around the dinner table.

Green Tea May Be Essential To Conquering Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

According to StudyFinds.org, antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become a greater focus among doctors and health-focused scientists in recent years. However, researchers at the University of Surrey in England may have found a secret weapon in the fight against these persistent microbes: green tea. According to their new study, epigallocatechin (EGCG), a natural antioxidant commonly found in green tea, can help eliminate antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Dr. Jonathan Betts, a senior research fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, led a team of researchers that assessed the compatibility of EGCG and aztreonam by conducting in vitro tests that analyzed how the substances interacted with P. aeruginosa, both individually and in combination. They found that a combination of the two was much more effective at lowering bacteria numbers than either agent alone.

Betts’ team hypothesize that EGCG facilitates elevated uptake of aztreonam by increasing permeability within the bacteria. They also theorize that green tea antioxidant may interfere with a biochemical pathway associated with antibiotic susceptibility.

Expert: It’s OK To Turn Work Off During The Holidays

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many people are already beginning to feel the pressure of trying to balance work and personal demands. Elana Feldman, an expert on organizational behavior who studies how people use their time on the job, can offer a range of tips on how to achieve a balance between happy holidays and professional productivity.  

“Feel good about turning work off,’” says Feldman, an assistant professor of management at UMass Lowell. “Taking time away from work helps prevent burnout and can boost creativity. If you truly take a holiday break, you will return to the office more energized and engaged.”  

Feldman’s recommendations also include:

  • Recognize that turning off work during the holidays benefits your coworkers, too; if you’re not sending emails, they won’t feel obligated to answer them.
  • Make a conscious, thoughtful decision about whether and how much you will work over the holidays. Many people end up working without really considering whether they have to or want to do so.
  • Focus on those tasks that are most urgent and important, and keep the others off your radar until after the holidays.
  • If there are projects that you will have to pick up again after the holidays, leave yourself clear reminders about where you left off. Make to-do lists so that you don’t forget key tasks when you are back in the office.

These small behaviors can also help you feel less stressed while you disconnect because you know you’ve set yourself up for a smooth return to work.

 

NoteWorthy – 11/24/19

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Aid Association Raises $130,0000 In Support Of Anna Jaques Hospital

The Anna Jaques Aid Association celebrated its annual meeting in October and presented a check for $130,000 to President and CEO Mark Goldstein, Chairman of the Anna Jaques Board of Trustees David LaFlamme, and Chair of the Anna Jaques Community Health Foundation Matt Khatib.

Funds raised this year were designated to assist underinsured and uninsured low to moderate income patients in Seabrook, the AJH birth center, comprehensive pain clinic, Cardiac Cath and Interventional Radiology Suite, and the pediatric psychiatric unit.

The meeting also recognized retiring Aid directors, welcomed new members and introduced Karen Davis as corresponding secretary.

UMass Lowell Researcher Receives $1 million To Alleviate Asthma In Senior Citizens

A UMass Lowell researcher who works to alleviate asthma in senior citizens has received $1 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. UMass Lowell Prof. Dave Turcotte leads Healthy Homes, a program that works to reduce asthma among low-income seniors and families living in public and subsidized rental housing in Lowell. 

With the new award, the program is taking aim at protecting senior citizens from asthma triggers associated with gas stoves such as nitrogen dioxide emissions and microscopic particles including chemicals, metals and dust. While electric stoves do not emit these substances, converting from gas to electric stoves in many apartment buildings is not feasible, according to Turcotte.

The grant will allow Healthy Homes to install portable air filtration units in apartments with gas stoves and provide other equipment with the goal of improving the health of senior tenants with asthma or preventing it. Turcotte and his team will also research whether these measures are effective.

NECC Receives 2019 Magazine Pacemaker Award From Associated Collegiate Press

Parnassus, Northern Essex Community College’s student magazine, recently received a 2019 Magazine Pacemaker Award for literature and art from the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP).

This is the second year in a row that Parnassus has received this award. The magazine was also selected in 2011, and was a finalist for the award in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

Parnassus was judged on the quality of the writing and editing, photography, art and graphics, layout and design, and overall concept or theme.  Published each spring, the magazine includes student poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction, and photography and artwork.

Northern Essex was competing with 126 collegiate publications from 22 states and Canada. Forty-one were named as finalists and 14, including Parnassus, were selected as winners and announced at the Fall National College Media Convention on Nov. 2 in Washington, D.C.

Anna Jaques Hospital Welcomes Patients To Newly Expanded Comprehensive Pain Center

On Nov 14, Anna Jaques Hospital welcomed patients to the newly renovated and expanded Comprehensive Pain Center located on the hospital campus at 25 Highland Avenue, Newburyport.

Led by Medical Director Simon Faynzilberg, the Comprehensive Pain Center strives to help patients reduce and cope with chronic pain including back pain, neck pain, joint pain, neuropathies, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, post-traumatic injury pain, cancer pain, and more.

The recent renovation project centralized all related pain services to one expanded facility, including a new surgical procedure room and pre- and-post procedure areas. The suite also houses the latest C-Arm technology which provides high-resolution, real-time fluoroscopic X-ray imaging during surgical procedures.

In addition to the community-based care provided by Anna Jaques, as a member of Beth Israel Lahey Health, Comprehensive Pain Center patients also have access to a network of leading experts in orthopedic and spine surgery, neurology, behavioral health, occupational and physical therapy, and more.

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