Thanks to a generous donation from the Knights of Pythias Tucson Lodge #9, in partnership with the Picture Rocks Fire District, the first 50 area residents to register will get FREE swim lessons at the Picture Rocks pool, 5615 N. Sanders Road (see attached flyer).

Session I: June 3-June 13
Session II: June 17-June 27

Registration for Sessions I and II begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday, May 31 (Ajo pool swim lesson registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, June 1) and continues during open hours.

Lessons cost $20 for a two-week session (8 classes). Register at your local pool. Classes are available for children as young as 6 months. For specific class offerings and times, please call your local pool.

You may register for both Session I and II at this time. If your child progresses in one session to the next skill level, every effort will be made to accommodate him/her in the next level class in the next session.

Session III: July 8-July 18
Session IV: July 22-August 1 (Manzanita Pool Session IV will be M-F week 1 and M-W week 2 – ending on July 31 since TUSD goes back to school on August 1.)

Registration for Sessions III and IV begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday, June 28, and continues during open hours. You may register for both Session III and IV at that time.

If three or more lessons are cancelled in any given session due to lightning or mechanical malfunction, lessons will continue past August 1.

Swim lessons at Mulcahy YMCA at Kino Community Center and Northwest YMCA-Thad Terry pools are taught through the YMCA. Please call 838-0938 at (Mulcahy) or 229-9006 at Thad Terry for information on swim lessons and fees.

For other information about Pima County pools, including addresses, phone numbers and swim team opportunities, please visit http://www.pima.gov/nrpr/pools/index.htm.

El Rio’s dental team will offer free screenings and fluoride varnish treatments and the Lions Club will provide free vision screening to all school-age children.  Tucson Medical Center will be offering a limited number of free booster seats to qualified families.  AHCCCS providers and the Pima Community Access Program (PCAP) will be on site providing information about how to apply for services for those families who may qualify and currently have no medical coverage.

The events will be hosted at several Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson locations. The committee has expanded services this year to include Tucson’s west side. A total of four immunization clinics will be offered.  The legal parent or guardian must be present. Children should bring their shot records and insurance cards if they have insurance. Call 520-243-7736 or visit www.elriofoundation.org or www.pimahealth.org for more information.

SCHEDULE OF TUCSON EVENTS

July 18, 2013 ● 3 to 6 pm ● Steve Daru Clubhouse ● 1375 North El Rio Drive, 85745

July 25, 2013 ● 3 to 6 pm ● Jim & Vicki Click Clubhouse ● 1935 S. Columbus Blvd, 85712

July 27, 2013 ● 10 to 2 pm ● Holmes Tuttle Clubhouse ● 2585 E. 36^th Street, 85713

Aug. 3, 2013 ● 10 to 2 pm ● Roy Drachman Clubhouse ● 5901 S. Santa Clara Road, 85706

El Rio Community Health Center is the largest provider of medical and dental services to uninsured and Medicaid populations in Pima County. With 17 sites in Tucson, El Rio serves the medical and dental needs of more than 79,000 patients annually. El Rio employs over 800 people with an annual budget of over $90 million dollars. A national model of health care excellence, El Rio’s mission is to “improve the health of our community through comprehensive, accessible, affordable, quality and compassionate care.” www.elrio.org

As many as 46,250 children in Pima County attend a child care program, in child care centers, schools, child care homes, or in the care of relatives, friends and neighbors.

The Health Department’s Child Care Health Consultants, public health nurses and dietitians, who provide health, safety and nutrition assistance to child care providers, take this opportunity to recognize the tireless efforts of caregivers who provide quality child care for Pima County’s children. The Child Care Health Consultants are funded by First Things First and Arizona Department of Health Services.

“The loving care of adults who provide a healthy, safe and nurturing environment for young children supports their success in school and in life,” said Kathi Ford, RN, BC, Nurse Manager for the Child Care Health Consultant program. “Our Child Care Health Consultants recognize the importance of quality child care and value the critical work being done by care providers in our community.”

Provider Appreciation Day was started in 1996 by a group of volunteers in New Jersey who saw the need to recognize the tireless efforts of providers who care for children of working parents.

New inflatable ship at Flowing Wells Pool

Get a head start on swim season at the Grand Reopening of the Flowing Wells Pool, 4545 N. La Cholla Blvd., on Saturday, May 18.

Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson, District 3, and Dr. Nicholas Clement, the superintendent of the Flowing Wells Unified School District, will speak at 10 a.m. followed by a free public swim until 1 p.m.

The pool at Flowing Wells Junior High School was upgraded during the off season. Improvements include:

• New filtration system.
• New tile and plaster in the pool.
• New pool deck and perimeter pool fence.
• Two additional permanent shade structures.

You can’t miss the inflatable ship!

Pool Season

Pima County’s seasonal swimming pools will open Memorial Day weekend – Saturday, May 25 – and be open through Labor Day – Monday, Sept. 2. (The Ajo pool will open for Memorial Day weekend, close and then reopen on June 1, 2013, for the remainder of summer.)

For admission fees, pool addresses and phone numbers, and other information, please visit http://www.pima.gov/nrpr/pools/index.htm.

Swimming Classes – Swim Lessons

The first of four sessions of swim lessons begins Monday, June 3. Lessons cost $20 for a two-week session (8 classes).  Register at your local pool. Classes are available for children as young as 6 months. For specific class offerings and times, please call your local pool.

Session I: June 3-June 13
Session II: June 17-June 27

Registration for Sessions I and II begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday, May 31 (Ajo pool swim lesson registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, June 1) and continues during open hours.

You may register for both Session I and II at this time. If your child progresses in one session to the next skill level, every effort will be made to accommodate him/her in the next level class in the next session.

Session III: July 8-July 18
Session IV: July 22-August 1 (Manzanita Pool Session IV will be M-F week 1 and M-W week 2 – ending on July 31 since TUSD goes back to school on August 1.)

Registration for Sessions III and IV begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday, June 28, and continues during open hours. You may register for both Session III and IV at this time.

If three or more lessons are cancelled in any given session due to lightning or mechanical malfunction, lessons will continue past August 1.

Swim lessons at Mulcahy YMCA at Kino Community Center and Northwest YMCA-Thad Terry pools are taught through the YMCA. Please call 838-0938 at (Mulcahy) or 229-9006 at Thad Terry for information on swim lessons and fees.

Swim Team

The Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department’s Novice Summer Swim Team Program provides a fun, exciting, and rewarding swimming experience for children ages 5 to 18 at all Pima County pools except the Thad Terry and Picture Rocks pools, and at the Marana Pool, 13251 N. Lon Adams Road.

The fee is $20 for the entire summer (includes practices and meets).

Registration begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 25, at any pool offering the program and will continue during regular pool hours until June 20 (or until the team at a specific pool reaches capacity).

The first swim practice is May 28. Swim meets are on Saturday mornings or nights during June and July. Swim meets will begin on June 1 and will continue until the Championship swim meet on July 13.

Marana Marlins may have a different fee and registration times. For more information regarding the Marana Marlins, contact Sara Bauer at 520-342-6401or maranamarlins@gmail.com.

For additional swim team information, please call (520) 877-6126 or (520) 877-6109 or visit http://www.pima.gov/nrpr/pools/swimteams.htm.

The Thad Terry swim team is offered through the YMCA. Please contact Thad Terry at 229-9006 for more information.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in infants between the age of 1 and 12 months.  Every year in the United States approximately 3,750 otherwise healthy babies die of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.  The exact cause of SIDS remains unclear. However, most of these deaths are now considered preventable.

WHAT: Safe sleeping practices and the “Safe to Sleep” campaign will be the topic of discussion for maternal-newborn nurses, “Fab-Fifty” recipient Karen Owen, BSN, RNC and SIDS expert and author Sharon Hitchcock MSN, RNC

WHEN: Friday, May 10, 2:45 p.m.- 3:45 p.m.

WHERE: Starr Pass Resort and Spa, at the 2013 Nurses Week Showcase of Nurses Conference

In 1994, the NIH initiated the “Back to Sleep” campaign to educate parents and caregivers about the recommendation to place babies on their backs to sleep.  The new “Safe to Sleep” message incorporates the many other strategies research has shown to greatly reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths. 

Nurses play a critical role in educating parents and caregivers in how to greatly reduce the risk of SIDS and other infant sleep-related deaths.  The goal is to equip Tucson nurses with evidence-based research on safe sleep practices, and provide strategies to get the word out to the public.  Understanding the research and rationale behind each preventative measure will equip and empower nurses to correctly educate all caregivers and inevitably save countless precious young lives.

Safe to Sleep “Champion” Carol Baker, BSN, RN from the Pima County Health Department and Connie Miller MSN, RNC-OB, Clinical Assistant Professor at the UA College of Nursing, will also be available for questions.

Cyclists riding on the north side of the Rillito River on The Loop.

Advocate for all kinds of bicycle riders at the Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC). Advise local policy makers on transportation, recreation, and safety issues for bicyclists. The County seeks volunteers who live in unincorporated Pima County to serve on the BAC.

 
The BAC advises City and County government staff and elected officials on bike projects throughout the region. Members attend a two-hour meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Typically, the BAC meets 10 months of the year. Volunteers can also join subcommittees that focus on specific issues like bike facilities, education, enforcement, and a few others.

 
Established in 1987, this committee is the oldest joint committee that includes representatives from the County, City of Tucson, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, University of Arizona, and the Towns of Marana, Oro Valley and Sahuarita. The BAC has been very successful in helping develop innovative bike projects and bike safety education programs.

 
Due in part to BAC’s efforts, the League of American Bicyclists awarded Gold to the eastern Pima County-Tucson region in 2008 and 2012; and Outside Magazine ranks Tucson as the top “bike town” in the United States.

 
Interested in taking action to keep Pima County and Tucson at the top of national bike lists? Please contact Matt Zoll at 243-BIKE (2453) or Matthew.Zoll@pima.gov.

 
For more information about Tucson-Pima Bicycle Advisory Committee, visit: http://biketucson.pima.gov/

Please join:

• Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías, District 5, and City of Tucson Vice Mayor and Ward 1 Council Member Regina Romero on Saturday, May 11, at 10 a.m. to celebrate the Menlo Park Neighborhood Revitalization Project at 301 N. Grande Ave.
• Pima County Supervisors Chairman Ramón Valadez, District 2; Vice Mayor Romero; and Ward 5 Council Member Richard Fimbres on Wednesday, May 15, at 9 a.m. to celebrate the opening of a skate park at St. John’s School Park, 602 W. Ajo Way.

Pima County invested 1997 Pima County bond funds of $850,000 to improve soccer field facilities at Menlo Park. An additional $498,975 from 2004 Pima County bond funds administered by the Pima County Neighborhood Reinvestment Program was invested into pedestrian safety and mobility improvements at the park.

Some of the administrative costs were covered by the City of Tucson Departments of Transportation and Parks and Recreation, and Ward 1 Back to Basics, which provided $30,000. The City of Tucson provided $318,000 in 2000 City of Tucson bond funds to construct a new restroom building and the plaza in the center of the park, and a Community Development Block Grant of $180,000 helped pay for the remaining sidewalks, lighting, chain link fencing, and a group picnic ramada.

The project’s traffic calming and park improvements were constructed by the City of Tucson’s Transportation and Parks and Recreation Departments. Improvements included traffic circles, speed tables, ADA curb access ramps, xeriscaping and water harvesting chicanes; and fabric shade sails over the pool deck and playgrounds, concrete decks, plazas and walls, landscape planting and support irrigation.

The project included Menlo Park Neighborhood Association members, especially, Mac Hudson, Bob Rodriguez, Lorraine Bartlett, Gene Einfrank and Lillian Lopez- Grant.

The Pima County Neighborhood Reinvestment Program also contributed $500,000 in bond funds to construct the skate park at St. John’s School Park. The skate park is lighted, and other improvements include a paved jogging track and ramada with picnic facilities. The site is shared by St. John’s School and the City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Department. Vice Mayor Romero contributed $4,000 in Back-to-Basics funds to the project.

Cyclovia Map, Sunday, April 28

Join thousands of walkers, strollers, dancers, skateboarders, and bicyclists at Cyclovia this Sunday, April 28, to celebrate car-free and care-free streets.  Bike Fest month in Tucson and Pima County wraps up with this family event that takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The east end of the festival is Dodge Boulevard, near Brandi Fenton Park, and Keeling Desert Park on Glenn Street marks the west end of the four-mile route.

County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry will lead a ride to Cyclovia from Kory Laos BMX track, part of the Flowing Wells Park, located at 5510 N. Shannon Road, at the Rillito River. The ride begins Sunday at 9:30 a.m., and will follow the Rillito River Park portion of The Loop for a ride of eight miles to Dodge Boulevard.

The attached map shows the location of “activity centers,” including DJs, food trucks, live music, pop-up skate and BMX spots, bike helmet give-aways and more. La Madera Park hosts a bike rodeo and also features jumping castles. Streets closed to cars are Dodge Boulevard, Blacklidge Avenue, Mountain Avenue and Glenn Street.

‪Bring your family and check out the urban wildlife display from Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation. Then walk or ride on wide-open streets to the rock-climbing wall, bike decoration station, and enjoy great food from local restaurants on the route. Cyclovia gives people from the greater Tucson region the chance to see neighbors, friends and other folks from throughout the area, and get a little exercise.

Building on the first Cyclovia on April 7 in downtown Tucson, Pima County will provide information and fun activities from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Air Program, the Health Department, Regional Wastewater and Reclamation Department, and the Office of Sustainability.

For more information about Cyclovia, visit: http://www.cycloviatucson.org/

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death. They not only help protect vaccinated individuals, but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

Young children rely on the champions in their lives to keep them safe and healthy. Those champions may include parents who keep a record of their child’s vaccinations and ask at each doctor appointment whether their child is up-to-date on immunizations. Those champions may also be doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals who share scientifically-accurate, up-to-date information about vaccines with parents. During this week, communities across the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia celebrate these CDC Childhood Immunization Champions.

“We would like to recognize the childhood immunization champions here in Pima County child care programs who are working hard to ensure a safe and healthy environment in which children can thrive and grow,” said Dr. Francisco García, Public Health Director.

On the following page is a list of local child care providers who have achieved between 95-100 percent rate of immunization within the center on their first immunization data report.

For more information about National Infant Immunization Week, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors proclaimed Friday, April 26, through Sunday, April 28, “Global Youth Service Days” in the County.

“Pima County youth are critical assets in our community,” said District 5 Supervisor Richard Elías. “This weekend, and throughout the year, youth volunteer to address issues like illiteracy, childhood obesity, hunger, poverty, environmental degradation, and disaster preparedness.”

On Friday, April 26, City High School will host the Pennington Street Block Party in downtown Tucson, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The party will showcase the many creative and productive ways young people improve in their community. The event features live music, street art, street theater, food trucks, and activities for all ages. “We’ll celebrate the great community service work that young people have been doing all year long,” said Maryann Phininzy, Pima Community College Program Coordinator, AmeriCorps Program.

Friday through Sunday, community service will continue with youth volunteering on a range of projects including: Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyle Festival at Tucson Village Farm, Clean Up and Serve in vacant lots around Mansfield Middle School, Book Give-away at the Reading Seed Center, and Cyclovia.

Global Youth Service Days is a program of Youth Service America, an organization dedicated to engaging youth age 5 to 25.

The Service Days are coordinated by the Tucson Service Learning Group with support from a State Farm grant. “It’s about creating our future leaders, and they need support and mentorship from our current leaders,” Phininzy explained. “Youth need to see that the community values their efforts. It’s about creating a reciprocal partnership between the leaders of today and the leaders of tomorrow.”

For more information about the Pennington Street Block Party, go to: http://cityhighschool.org/community/blockparty.