Y offers family nutrition courses

The YMCA of East Landis Avenue scheduled three new classes for families starting in January.

The classes are “Family Nutrition Series,” “Weight Management Class: Older Teens and Adults,” and “Family Strengthening Class.”

Each begins the first week of the month and will be held during evening hours at the YMCA, according to facility spokeswoman Chris Ward Garrison.

The community is welcome to participate.

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Get to know the health reform bill here

Want to know more about the heath care reform bill that is now being considered in Congress? Here's how.

U.S. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo, R-2, is traveling to county public libraries across South Jersey today to personally deliver copies of that bill to allow local residents to read through and get to know it better.

LoBiondo, whose district encompasses parts of seven South Jersey counties, plans theses stops:

9 a.m. Atlantic County Public Library, 40 Farragut Ave, Mays Landing.

11 a.m. Cumberland County Public Library, 800 E. Commerce St., Bridgeton.

Noon. Salem County Public Library, 900 Route 45, Building 3, Woodstown.

1 p.m. Gloucester County Public Library, 389 Wolfert Station Road and Route 45, Mullica Hill.

H1N1 vaccines on hold as county awaits shipment

File photo.

Health officials have immunized 2,500 local school children against swine flu, but the county and Vineland health departments are still waiting on the next shipment of vaccine before setting up clinics for the general population, DJ Staffer Joel Landau reports.

Herb Roeschke, Cumberland County Health Officer, said more than two-thirds of the county's first 3,500 vaccines have been used during clinics throughout the county.

About 500 school children in Vineland were vaccinated earlier this month, city health officer George Sartorio said. The department still has 500 nasal vaccines left, but is waiting for its first shipment of about 2,000 swine flu shots before scheduling clinics for adults.

"Right now we are giving it to our highest priority," Sartorio said.

Local, state and federal health officials have said that young children, healthcare workers, pregnant women and those in regular contact with large groups of young kids should be among the first to receive the H1N1 vaccine.

Roeschke has said the department plans on immunizing every county resident.

"I wish I had that crystal ball," he said. "We're hoping it will come any day now, but we've been expecting it for a month."

Bone marrow donors needed to help local student

The Little Gym of Millville will host a Bone Marrow Drive on Oct. 27 from 3 to 7 p.m.

The event is to honor Michael Barner, a 10-year-old Petway Elementary School student who is stricken with Aplastic Anemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.

The testing procedure takes about 15 minutes and is totally painless (cheek swab and medical questionnaire).

There is no cost to potential donors.

The Little Gym, 2120 N. 2nd St. in Millville, will be raffling off free classes, gift certificates, and gift baskets from local businesses.

For more information, call (856) 765-5634.

YMCA hosts happy, healthy Halloween

“Sleeping Beauty” Darcy Tarquinio, center, poses with two YMCA's Chief Operating Officer Lisa Scheetz, left, and Administrative Assistant Cara Messore, right. Submitted photo.

The YMCA had a scary good time on Friday during its annual Healthy Halloween Spooktacular.

The Landis Avenue facility attracted hundreds of children, parents, and other relatives for the event, designed for children ages 2 to 10 and their families. Not only children came in costume, but so did many adults, according to a news release.

The guests enjoyed a fun social experience, plus trick or treating for healthy snacks. Various stations were set up inside the facility, including a pirate ship, castle, and other decorations, the release said. Participants could also learn about the STEPS, a physical fitness program that is a collaboration with South Jersey Healthcare and the Vineland Public Schools.

County health official predicts H1N1 could kill hundreds here

As many as 700 Cumberland County residents could die of swine flu this year, the county’s health officer said Thursday.

Herb Roeschke, Cumberland County Health Officer said the H1N1 virus could kill up to .5 percent of the county population, DJ Staff Writer Joel Landau reported.

His department expects to receive swine flu vaccinations early next month and will begin a massive immunization drive in late October.

“From mid-October to end of the December, a lot of what we’ll be doing is administering these vaccines,” Roeschke said during a meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Millville.

Roeschke said he expects to get enough vaccine to immunize everybody in the county, but the stock will come in shipments, not all at once.

He said the health department will focus first on immunizing residents between 6 months old and 24 years old as well as health care workers and those in contact with young children.

The department will work with local schools to set up vaccination clinics.

The shots will be administered free of charge to residents.

Read The Daily Journal online and in print for more on this story.

Note this change for seasonal flu shots

Cumberland County Health Department is experiencing a high volume of phone calls regarding the flu clinics, especially since Vineland's own department ran out.

Due to high demand for the flu vaccine, department official Brenda Burke said the county will only be able to provide flu shots for residents served by the Cumberland County Board of Health - in other words, no Vineland residents.

"Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to serve Vineland residents," Burke wrote in an e-mail notice sent out Wednesday. "Vineland residents should contact their physicians, go to area pharmacies, or visit local grocery stores that provide flu clinics. If there is flu vaccine left at the end of all Cumberland County Health Department flu clinics, then we will be able to provide the vaccine for Vineland residents."

For more information for the Vineland residents, contact the City of Vineland Health Department at (856) 794-4000, ext. 4806.

How to get your flu shot

The Vineland Health Department is encouraging locals to consider a seasonal flu shot - which are free to all city residents.

Here's a list of the upcoming clinics for flu shots:

-Dallago Preschool, 240 S. Sixth St., 4 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 and 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 1, for preschoolers and pregnant women only.

-Drive-thru style shot is available at U-Sell Flea Market, 2896 S. Delsea Drive, 3 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 21.

-Vineland Senior Center, 103 S. Sixth St., 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 22.

-Spring Oak Assisted Living, 1611 S. Main Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 23;

-Luther Acres, 560 Sarah Place, 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 7.

-Kidston Towers, 1044 E. Landis Ave., 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 14.

H1N1 shots are not yet available. Pneumonia shots will also be available to eligible adults for a fee of $25.

For more information, call the Vineland Health Department at (856) 794-4000 ext. 4806 or visit www.vinelandcity.org.