Drive-thru flu shot clinic Oct. 13

NORWALK — The Health Center of Huron County will host a drive-thru flu shot clinic from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at its Norwalk office, 28 Executive Drive. No appointments are necessary. You must be 18 years or older and you should bring your photo ID and insurance card. Those 17 and under may get a shot by appointment only and must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. For more information call 419-668-1652, ext. 241. Fisher-Titus looking to add members to advisory council NORWALK — Fisher-Titus is seeking members to join their Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC). "The purpose of the council is to promote a patient and family centered care culture," said Crystal Eyerly, director of patient experience at Fisher-Titus. "The Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) partners patients and families with members of the healthcare team to provide guidance on how to improve the patient and family experience, something that is always at the forefront of everything we do." As part of the PFAC process, patients and families are invited to serve on hospital committees to ensure that the consumer's point of view, perspective, and experience are not only heard, but also integrated into the service and quality improvements that are engineered to ensure high-quality, customer-centered care. PFAC members: • Share their healthcare experience with doctors, staff & other advisors.• Participate in discussion groups. Advisors tell us what it is like to be a patient or family member of a patient and how we can improve the care, quality, safety, and service that we provide.• Provide input from the patient & family perspective about hospital policies, care practices, and patient education materials.• Identify patient and family needs & concerns.• Serve on subcommittees and workgroups to help bring the patient & family perspective/experience to the table. To learn more or to apply to be on the Patient & Family Advisory Council, visit FisherTitus.org/pfac Red Cross recruiting local disaster volunteers FINDLAY — The American Red Cross of North Central Ohio needs local volunteers to respond to disasters in Huron County, help at local blood drives and assist local military families during times of crisis. To help recruit and train new volunteers, the Red Cross will be holding a public information presentation at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in the Monroeville Village Office, 21 N. Main St. The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters every year, said Executive Director Todd James. The majority of those disasters are local home fires. "People see major disasters in the news, like the tornadoes that decimated parts of the South and Midwest in December, and they know the Red Cross is there providing shelter, food and comfort," James said. "But it's here at home where we handle most of our disaster responses, helping families who have lost their homes to fire or a local flood or storm." James said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their volunteer teams, like it has almost every other organization. "We have a lot of volunteers who had to step back from helping and haven't been able to return. It's vital that we have trained volunteers ready to answer a call for help at all times." James said he knows that there is a commitment of time and effort to being a Disaster Action Team volunteer, but the return is well worth it. "Our volunteers will tell you that the feeling that comes with helping a family after a fire or other disaster is worth more than gold, knowing that on someone's darkest day they are the light of hope." The Red Cross also needs local volunteers to serve as Blood Donor Ambassadors and Service to the Armed Forces caseworkers. Blood Donor Ambassadors greet donors at local blood drives, escort them through the donation process and provide refreshments after their donation. Service to the Armed Forces volunteers provide critical services to local military members, veterans and their families. "When a local military family contacts the Red Cross to make an emergency communication request to their service member, our local volunteers follow up with the family, making sure they have information and access to local resources to support them during their time of need," James said. At the information session, attendees will learn the requirements to be a Disaster Action Team volunteer, Blood Donor Ambassador and Service to the Armed Forces volunteer and will have the opportunity to speak with current volunteers to ask questions and learn about their experiences. Fall pies and refreshments will be provided at the event and in-person attendees will receive a Red Cross appreciation gift. People can attend in person or virtually. RSVPs are requested but not required for in-person attendance. Virtual attendees will need to RSVP to receive a link to the event. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Red Cross at NEOvolunteer@redcross.org or call (216) 431-3328.