HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL

Join Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for their Annual Flu Shot Toy Drive

Flu Shot Toy Drive volunteers 2021.

With fall around the corner and the holiday season not far behind, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is once again offering Fort Bend and surrounding area residents the opportunity to donate a gift and receive a free flu shot.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land, in collaboration with the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Fort Bend Exchange Club, Rotary Club of Sugar Land, Rotary Club of Fort Bend and Toys for Tots Fort Bend, is offering free flu shots on Saturday, October 22nd to community members who participate in Santa’s Gift Exchange. Fort Bend and surrounding area residents can bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item in exchange for a free flu shot. The toys and clothing will benefit local children in the Fort Bend area.

“We are proud to partner again with the local Exchange and Rotary clubs and Toys for Tots to provide this community offering,” said Chris Siebenaler, CEO of Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “This is a great way for the community to stay healthy while also putting smiles on children’s faces during the holiday season.”

In 2021, Santa’s Gift Exchange provided toys and clothing to nearly 5,000 underserved children in Fort Bend County. “Everyone’s assistance is needed to meet the challenge of providing toys for children who will not have toys this year without our help,”

“We’ve been working with Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for 13 years, and we look forward to working together again this year. This is a great collaboration; get a flu shot and in return you are able to give back to the children in your community,” said Brad Porter, Exchange Club of Sugar Land.

“Our community is well known for its philanthropic values, so we encourage you to participate by dropping off toys even if you have already had your flu shot,” Siebenaler said.

If you want to participate in this community event, please bring a new, unwrapped toy to Houston Methodist Sugar Land, 16655 Southwest Fwy., Sugar Land, TX 77479, between 8 am and 2 pm on Saturday, October 22nd. Registration is required. One flu shot per unwrapped toy. No stuffed animals or clothing items allowed. Please make sure to wear a mask.

To register, visit join.houstonmethodist.org/flushot-sl or call 281.274.7976.

The flu kills as many as 20,000 people a year. The vaccine is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B. Vaccination with the flu vaccine may not protect all people who receive the vaccine. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will distribute a limited supply of the influenza vaccine to persons age 18 and over with no history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and who are not pregnant. High dose flu vaccines will not be provided during this event. Please consult with your primary care doctor if high dose flu vaccine is the right option for you.

Flu Shot Toy Drive October 22nd

By Alisa Murray www.alisamurray.com

Hey Sweet Lifers! This summer has really poured a lot of hurting on the garden. We have set records by having the hottest one since 1913. As you can imagine some herbs survive and even thrive in that kind of temperatures, while others said “adios!” Because I do so much cooking, preserving and making homemade remedies, I try to always have growing a wide variety of herbs. One of my favorites is sage. Sage is used by most of us at least once a year during Thanksgiving in recipes, specifically our stuffings. However, sage has a lot to offer to help with hot flashes and with insect bites, too. Sage is a perennial plant, meaning it reseeds itself and comes back, or with our climate, actually never leaves. It does have flowers that it shoots off and bees and other pollinators love it, making it another wonderful part of providing sustainable food sources to the “sweet” critters in our gardens.

The herb sage (salvere) means literally to be saved. It is part of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and native to the Mediterranean region. During Roman times it was heavily relied on for digestive issues, particularly with regards to consumption of fatty meats. Sage is a great preservative for meats generally as well. In medieval Europe it was used to promote wisdom and thought to have memory “helping” properties.

Sage is also a powerful antiseptic, and as I mentioned earlier, a reliable herb that regulates hormones. Prepared for use in this way is best to make either a tincture, infusion or simply a tea using the leaves and crushing them a bit before making your choice of delivery. You can use this for digestive tea, gargle it for sore throats, and rub the crushed leaves directly onto the skin where you have received an insect bite. In just a few minutes, the stinging will dissipate!

One of my families’ favorite ways to enjoy this herb is with my brown butter sage sauce. It’s very simple to make and goes really well poured over roasted cauliflower or carrots and pork and chicken. Another way to get that sage into our diets besides just at Thanksgiving!

Sage

As always, I hope you will grow stuff in your garden and try some new things. Sage is a delightfully resilient herb that has many uses that I am sure you will enjoy.

Keep on growing and stay “sweet!”

Keep on Growing!

Here’s how to make Brown Butter Sage Sauce:

Melt 1 stick of butter in a cast iron skillet, and when it starts to brown, add in 6-8 sage leaves and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Let that simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle a pinch of fresh pepper and enjoy!