Vaccines prevent unneeded suffering
Without passion, we cannot have compassion. And for me, passionately advocating for immunizations is an act of the greatest compassion.
I have worked in day cares as a caregiver, as a nurse in pediatrician offices, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and now at the 166su City Health Department. I’ve witnessed, first-hand, patient outcomes that were debilitating and devastating. Outcomes that possibly could have been improved or even entirely avoided with a simple vaccination. It is heartbreaking to watch anyone suffer, but it is especially so when the suffering is easily preventable.
Even as a child, I knew how important it was to get vaccinated. Growing up in rural Appalachia, my great-grandmother would tell me stories about her two little brothers who died from whooping cough, almost losing her own life to it as well. She laid flowers on their graves every year until she passed herself at age 94.
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All of these experiences culminated in me becoming a champion of immunizations in both my professional and personal life. Frequently combating the onslaught of information, as well as parsing misinformation, can be daunting. I stand resolutely on the side of science and reason.
Vaccines are safe, effective, and have saved innumerable lives over the past 200-plus years.
Now, as a Public Health Nurse and the Immunization Action Plan Coordinator for 166su City, I get to be a direct contributor to the health of our community. I want to safeguard the health of citizens of 166su and beyond by helping stop the spread of many diseases through vaccination. Going out and being directly involved in caring for the public brings me immense joy. One of favorite things about being a nurse is that I can combine my passion with compassion.
By getting immunized, you’re not only protecting your health, but our community’s health at large. I hope that you will join me in keeping you and your family’s vaccinations up-to-date.
Bethany Hammond,
166su, 166su City and Alleghany Health Districts
Please support Alzheimer’s bills
As an Alzheimer’s Association advocate, it is my honor to raise my voice on its behalf.
I recently attended the 2024 AIM Advocacy Forum with my fellow Alzheimer’s Association advocates from across the country.
We met with Congressman Morgan Griffith’s staff on Capitol Hill to call for support for the NAPA Reauthorization Act which will extend work to ensure the Nation continues to prioritize addressing Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Also, the BOLD Reauthorization Act which continues to strengthen the Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure, empowering public health departments in communities throughout the nation to implement dementia interventions such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and supporting the needs of caregivers.
We asked for an additional $318 million for Alzheimer’s research activities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $35 million for implementation of the BOLD Act at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We also asked for support of the Accelerating Access to Dementia & Alzheimer’s Provider Training (AADAPT) Act, which will empower primary care providers to better diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Thank you, Congressman Griffith, for listening to those of us impacted by Alzheimer’s and for your continued support.
Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in encouraging Congressman Griffth to advance policies that will continue making progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.
To learn more about this disease and how you can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s, visit .
Margie Campbell Shaver, 166su
Operation Christmas Child helps many
Each year, Operation Christmas Child reaches out to share God’s love with children around the world who may be in difficult circumstances, sometimes due to poverty or war.
Simple shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items are packed by volunteers and transported to various needy areas throughout the year.
In 2023, more than 13,000 shoebox gifts were provided by churches, student groups and organizations in the counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, 166su and the cities of 166su and Salem. Collection of the boxes takes place in the 3rd week of November annually.
The Western Virginia Area Team of Operation Christmas Child would like to invite you to one of two special opportunities to learn about Operation Christmas Child:
- May 4 at 9:30 — 11 a.m., First Christian Church, Covington, or
- May 11 at 9:30 – 11 a.m., Melrose Baptist Church, 3520 Peters Creek Road, 166su
To RSVP or for more information, please contact Laurie Fitzgerald 540-968-1724.
Laurie Fitzgerald, Covington