WIC clinics provide healthy foods
ELIZABETHTOWN — Here's a list of WIC clinics scheduled for this month in Essex County: at the Knights of Columbus hall in Lake Placid from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and 2 to 6 p.m. Dec. 30; the AuSable Forks ambulance building from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Wednesday; the WIC office in Elizabethtown from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. this Thursday and 1 to 7 p.m. Dec. 18; the Methodist Church in Ticonderoga from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 8, 15 and 31; the Moriah Firehouse from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 9; the Schroon Lake Health Center from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 10; Saranac Lake Town Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 16; the Crown Point Firehouse from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 17; and Keeseville Methodist Church from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 29.

WIC provides healthy foods including milk, cheese and eggs to pregnant women and mothers who are breast-feeding and their babies. It also pays for infant formula, and vegetables and fruits for children older than age 2. For information, call 873-3560.

Need for blood increasing
PLATTSBURGH — The number of open-heart surgeries has been growing steadily at CVPH Medical Center, and that's one reason there's a greater need for blood and blood products in the area, according to a news release from the CVPH/North Country Regional Blood Center.

Here is a listing of drives this month: 8 a.m. to noon today, Curtis Lumber; 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Mooers Fire Department; 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Clinton Community College; 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Saranac Lake; 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, Plattsburgh State; 11 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, Chazy Central Rural School; 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, AuSable Forks Ambulance Service; 5 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16, Morrisonville Ambulance Service; noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, Georgia Pacific; noon to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, Georgia Pacific Community Federal Credit Union; 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, Peru Fire Department; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26, CVPH Laboratory Conference Room, Miner Medical Arts Building, 314 Cornelia St.; 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, Essex Fire Department, sponsored by the Masons; 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, Adirondack Medical Center.

For more information, call 562-7406.

Walk-ins welcome at Franklin Co. clinics
MALONE — Franklin County Public Health Services has scheduled the following immunization clinics: Franklin County Public Health, 125 Catherine St., Malone, from 9 to 10 a.m. Dec. 3; and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 10 at Families 'R Us, 24 Fourth St., Malone.

A parent with current immunization records must accompany all children. This service is for those who do not have insurance to cover vaccinations, which include Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B TD, MMR, Menactra, HPV for ages 19 to 26, tDap for ages 19 to 64, and shingles vaccine for ages 60 and older. Public Health is unable to bill insurances at this time. Call 481-1709 for an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome.

Clinton County clinics scheduled
PLATTSBURGH — The Clinton County Health Department offers immunizations for all ages as well as lead screening for children and confidential and anonymous HIV testing.

Immunizations take place at the Old Court House, 32 Court St., Plattsburgh, on Mondays — Dec. 8, 15, 22 and 29 — from 12:30 to 3:15 p.m. and most Thursdays in December — Dec. 4, 11 and 18 — from 1 to 3:15 p.m. Because of Christmas, the Dec. 25 clinic has been changed to Wednesday, Dec. 24.

Also, there will be immunization clinics from 4 to 6 p.m. today and Dec. 16, at Clinton Community College's Science and Technology Building and from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at the Old Court House.

A Well Child Clinic is set for 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Old Court House. A lead-screening clinic will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 18.

HIV testing is set for 10:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Dec. 18. Call 565-4490 to hear a recorded message 24/7 on immunizations, infectious conditions, family health and seasonal topics or visit: www.clintonhealth.org. For specific questions, call 565-4848.

Immunizations available
ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County Public Health will hold immunization and lead-screening clinics at its Elizabethtown office at 132 Water St. from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, and from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, by appointment. Call 873-3500.

Grant to aid visually impaired
PLATTSBURGH — North Country Association for the Visually Impaired (NCAVI) has been awarded a grant of $1,000 from the Glenn & Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation. The Association for the Visually Impaired is a non-profit charitable organization that provides services to blind and legally-blind individuals in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties.

Services include: low-vision exams, instruction and equipment for daily living skills, help in adjusting to vision loss, education, job placement and instruction for safe, independent travel.

Executive Director Donna Abair said the grant money will be used to purchase visual aids and adaptive equipment to help individuals with visual impairments remain independent.

For more information about the association, call 523-1950.