Free cancer screenings at TTUHSC

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) will host a Head and Neck Cancer Screening Day at 9 a.m. April 7 at The Free Clinic located at Lubbock Impact, 2707 34th St.April is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is another risk factor for some types of head and neck cancers. Specifically, HPV-16 is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers that involve thetonsils or base of the tongue. Regular screening tests can detect these cancers early on when treatment will be mosteffective. Appointments must be made by phone. For more information and to make anappointment, call (806) 370-7472.

Covenant Children's raises awareness of child abuse

Covenant Children’s is dedicating its resources to prevent child abuse in West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. As the region’s only free-standing hospital for kid’s, Covenant Children’s is committed to doing our part in raising awareness of child abuse and neglect. In 2022, there were 734 confirmed cases of child abuse in Lubbock County. Of those cases, two resulted in death.

• Starting Monday, Covenant Children’s will light up its outdoor space blue each night. Community members are encouraged to stop by and take photos of the blue lights and post to social media using the #CovWearsBlue

• On Monday, April 10, the community is welcome to join a ribbon-tying ceremony honoring the victims of child abuse. Organizers will read the story behind the blue ribbon and have a special blessing from Covenant Children’s leaders.

• On April 14, Covenant Children’s will hold its 10th Annual Child Abuse Conference. The virtual event is open to local professionals including teachers, nurses, social workers, etc. This year’s event focuses on prevention. Register online at www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-child-abuse-conference-registration-520542866727

SPC to offer pharmacy tech course starting April 4

South Plains College Lubbock Career and Technology Center is launching its Pharmacy Technician/Assistant Training program, designed to provide students with the knowledge and experience necessary to pass the national certification exam. The program is a 100-hour course that includes 50 hours of classroom instruction and 50 hours of clinical training. The cost of the course is $752.

Students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in both hospital and retail pharmacy settings.The pharmacy tech classes will be taught as a hybrid option. Instructional lectures will be taught at the Lubbock Career and Technology Center in LBC124. Clinicals will be taught at the various United Pharmacies and at Covenant hospitals. The classroom portion of the training will be held 6 to 9 p.m. April 4 through May 25. The clinical training at United Pharmacy and Covenant is TBD by the clinical site and the student.

The course textbook is “The Pharmacy Technician 7th Edition,” which can be purchased for $99.95 plus tax from the Reese Center Bookstore.

For more information and to register online, visit www.southplainscollege.edu/community/continuinged/pharmacological.php

For more information about the program, contact Ben Alexander, executive director of the Lubbock Career and Technical Center, at (806) 716-4608, or Stephanie Prieto, administrative assistant, at (806) 716-4604.

Maintenance project begins in Lubbock bridges

The Texas Department of Transportation continues work on a $1.3 million project, that is making repairs to various bridges across the South Plains, next week on the I-27 bridges at 34th Street in Lubbock. Talbran Enterprises, LLC of Frisco is the project contractor.

Work to replace bridge joints and make deck and concrete repairs is scheduled to begin on Tuesday on the southbound bridge and will require the road to be reduced to one-lane of traffic. The lane closures will give work crews the space needed to stage equipment and safely make the repairs.

Then the week of April 10, crews will begin work on the northbound bridge. This will also require lane closures and reducing northbound traffic down to one-lane. Work to make the repairs to the I-27 bridges is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete.

Motorists should anticipate traffic delays and are urged to use caution when driving through the work zones, since crews will be working in close proximity to traffic.

Other Lubbock area bridges included in the project are the south Loop 289 bridges at Quaker Avenue. Work on these bridges is scheduled to begin in early summer.

Work will take place weather permitting.

Plainview EMT hosting SKYWARN training

The City of Plainview’s Emergency Management team will host the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN storm spotter training 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 6, at the Fair Theater located at 717 Broadway.

The class is free to anyone who would be interested in joining the SKYWARN program and has an interest in public service. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are encouraged to become a spotter.

To obtain critical weather information, the National Weather Service (NWS) established SKYWARN with partner organizations to help obtain critical weather information. SKYWARN is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters around the country. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service. Although SKYWARN spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the focus is reporting on severe local thunderstorms.

Training is free and typically lasts about two hours. Participants will learn the basics of thunderstorm development, fundamentals of storm structure, identifying potential severe weather features, information to report and how to report information.

To sign up for the class or for more information, contact the Sgt. Al Longoria at 806-296-1183.

UMC holds pinwheel ceremony for child abuse prevention

To recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month, join UMC Children’s Hospital at noon on Thursday, April 6, for "Pinwheels for Prevention." Providers and staff will place pinwheels in the children’s courtyard, where they will remain visible to patients, staff, and visitors throughout April.

In Lubbock County, an average of three children per day are confirmed as victims of abuse and neglect.

The pinwheel was introduced as the national symbol for child abuse prevention through Pinwheels for Prevention by Prevent Child Abuse America in 2008. The Blue Ribbon is recognized internationally as the symbol for Child Abuse Awareness.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month emphasizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect, and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families. Communities are encouraged to share child abuse and neglect prevention awareness strategies and activities throughout April and the year. UMC and local partners will work together through the Go Blue Lubbock campaign to coordinate efforts.

Food bank to host Children’s Feeding Town Hall

The South Plains Food Bank will be hosting an open forum discussion to collaborate on the best way to feed children on the South Plains.

The town hall is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, April 6 in the Community Room at the South Plains Food Bank.

The goal of this event is to collaborate on the best way to construct children’s snack bags with partners who may already provide food assistance to the community. Many children on the South Plains are helped through a weekend snack bag program, and the numbers continues to climb.

Food insecurity on the South Plains is at an all-time high with the need for food assistance rising 70% in 2022 alone leaving 1 in 3 children wondering where their next meal will come from.

Christian women's group to meet

Lubbock Christian Women's Connection will host its next luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at the Lubbock Country Club, 3400 Mesa Drive.

The theme for the luncheon is “Bloom Where You Are Planted."

The special speaker will be Barb Miulvey of Albuquerque talking about “Beauty for Ashes”. Special music will be provided by Stephen Sanders.

Cost for the luncheon, program and door prizes is $20. Those interested must RSVP by noon on Friday, April 7 (Reservations not used should be shared or paid for at the next luncheon).

RSVP to LubbockCWC@gmail.com or Sharen at (806) 392-0264.

Buckner sets foster care, adoption informational meetings

Nonprofit Buckner Children and Family Services is hosting free informational meetings on foster care and adoption. At the meetings, attendees will learn more information on the process of becoming a foster parent or adopting through Buckner. The schedule released is for the first half of the year.

Attending a virtual information meeting is the first step in starting a foster care and adoption journey with Buckner. Attendance and completion of the information meeting is required to proceed in the process for all Buckner foster care and adoption programs.

Virtual foster care and adoption meeting schedule: April 13, 7-8 p.m.; April 27, 7-8 p.m.; May 11, 7-8 p.m.; May 25, 7-8 p.m.; June 8, 7-8 p.m.; and June 22, 7-8 p.m.

To register for a virtual foster care and adoption meeting, visit Buckner.org/foster-care-adoption/events

For additional information, call Buckner at (806) 795-7151.

SPC to offer lifeguard training certification course

LEVELLAND – South Plains College is offering an American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification course, which will begin on April 12. Students can earn a CPR Professional certificate, a First Aid certificate, and a Lifeguard certificate upon successful completion of the course.

The course is limited to 10 swimmers and will cost $250, which includes study materials online, testing, and certifications. To register for the class, interested participants should go to the SPC Natatorium and pay for the class with a check or credit card. Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

On April 12, a Swim Skills Test will be administered from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Participants must be 15 years of age by the first day of class and able to swim 300 yards non-stop, tread water for two minutes without the use of hands, and swim 20 yards to retrieve a brick at a depth of 7 to 10 feet, keeping both hands on the brick and climb out without the use of a ladder.

From April 14 to April 16, registered students will receive online course materials, and six to eight hours of study is required. Classroom and swimming pool instruction will take place on April 16 from 3 to 7 p.m., April 19 from 5 to 9 p.m., and April 21 from 5 to 9 p.m. On April 22, classes will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. until completed. Class times may be adjusted based on student progress.

For more information, contact Mike Harrison, Natatorium Director, at (806) 716-2228.

Master Gardeners to host plant sale

Lubbock Master Gardeners’ Association will hold its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, April 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at Hodges Community Center, 4011 University Ave. (east side of building opposite ball field).

All sale proceeds are dedicated to the Lubbock Master Gardeners’ Association Scholarship Fund and are sales tax exempt. Cash, check, and debit/credit cards are accepted.

For more information, email jkvaughn0225@gmail.com

Free clinic offered for Women’s Health Day

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine students will host a Women’s Health Day free clinic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 15 at The Free Clinic located at Lubbock Impact, 2707 34th St.

The Women’s Health Day clinic will provide free medical services to uninsured women, including well-woman exams, breast exams, pelvic exams, Pap smears, mammogram sign-ups and referrals, pregnancy tests, prenatal referrals, sexually transmitted infections checks, general health exams and HPV vaccinations.

The Free Clinic is a non-billing clinic developed by the TTUHSC School of Medicine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of every four deaths is due to cancer, making it the second leading cause of death in the U.S. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, and for every 100,000 women, eight new cervical cancer cases were reported. Regular screening tests can detect breast and cervical cancers early when treatment is most effective.

Appointments must be made by phone. For more information and to make an appointment, call (806) 370-7472.

TTUHSC to host Spring Medication Cleanout

To provide a safe and environmentally friendly way for people to properly dispose of expired, unwanted or unnecessary medications, the Texas Panhandle Poison Center, managed by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, will host Lubbock’s Spring Medication Cleanout event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Texas Tech Physicians Medical Pavilion, 3601 Fourth St.

Medication Cleanout™ employs a drive-thru, drop-off format that allows residents to conveniently dispose of their medications without leaving their cars. The program also provides disposal services for syringes and sharps. Yard signs will be posted to help drivers locate the drive-thru path.

Medications should be left in their original containers. Because of environmental restrictions, only medications from households can be accepted. Medications from clinics, pharmacies and other businesses are not allowed.

For more information, call (806) 414-9495 or visit MedicationCleanout.com.

New Neighbors host Game Day

The New Neighbors Club of Lubbock will hold its final Game Day of the year on Friday, April 28, at the Lubbock Women's Club, 2020 Broadway. It will start at 10 a.m. and last until about 3 p.m. Cost is $30, which includes lunch and prize money.

Games offered will be Bridge, Canasta, Pennies from Heaven, Samba, and Shanghai Rummy. Those interested, please contact your game leader for information.

Those interested are permitted to pay at the door. Non-members may contact Martha, text (806) 438-5227. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, April 23.

Registration under way for Cinco de Mayo parade

Make plans to be a part of the 11th Annual Cinco de Mayo parade scheduled for Saturday, May 6, down historic Broadway.

The 2023 theme will be, “!Somos la fuerza de nuestra comunidad! We are the Strength of Our Community," reminding us that a united community is an empowered community.

Organizations, schools, youth, bands, Veterans, and families are especially urged to be a part of this year's parade and celebrate this cultural history, and engage and invite all of the community.

To sign up or for more information, visit https://www.loshermanosfamilia.org/cinco-de-mayo-parade

Vets encouraged to register for VA benefits

The city of Lubbock's Veterans Advisory Committee, along with the Lubbock Veterans Affairs Clinic, are encouraging area veterans to register for VA benefits by Memorial Day, May 29, 2023.

If 10,000 veterans register, the Lubbock VA Clinic will be eligible for "Health Care Center" status. This designation would increase available resources and enhance specialty care options for veterans.

"We want to provide the best and most complete services to our veterans, and to do that, we need more veterans to sign up so that we can access more resources," said Councilman Steve Massengale. "Reaching this goal will enhance services and partnerships within the community. We owe so much to our veterans, and it's important to serve those who served us as best we can."

By mid-February, 9,400 regional veterans had registered with the Lubbock VA. Information on how to register is at va.gov.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: TTUHSC cancer screening SKYWARN training among events in April Lubbock