community news Spreading love and help where it’s needed
Fire recovery, Valentine mailing, suicide prevention, child support, teen mindfulness THERESA BAER
BOULDER COUNTY FIRE RELIEF AND RECOVERY Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boulder County fires. Their lives will be altered forever by the devastating losses they have experienced. If you or someone you know is in need of relief information for basic needs, financial help, housing and more, call 2-1-1 or visit www.211colorado. org. If you are able to donate towards relief and recovery efforts, please visit www.coloradogives.org/ bouldercountywildfirefund. LOVELAND’S VALENTINE RE-MAILING PROGRAM For the past 76 years, the Loveland Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Postal Service have teamed up to provide the internationally known Valentine Remailing Program to have valentines postmarked in the Sweetheart City. All valentines sent through the Loveland Valentine Program before or on February 4 will be postmarked and mailed on February 4. Every day after February 4, the Valentine will be postmarked on the day it is received. Please note the following deadlines for your mailing needs and view dropoff locations at https://loveland.org/ programs/valentine-re-mailing-program. • February 2 for International • February 7 for Continental U.S • February 9 for Colorado/ Wyoming 5210+ CHALLENGE THIS MONTH The Healthy Kids Club at UCHealth is hosting its annual 5210+ Challenge again this month where students, staff and families keep track of their activity minutes and other 5210+ healthy habits and prize money is awarded to schools with the highest percentage of participants. The challenge encourages 14
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participants to accomplish the following each day of the month: eat five (5) servings of fruits and vegetables; watch two (2) hours or fewer of screen time; get one (1) hour or more of physical activity; drink zero (0) sugary drinks; plus (+) sleep nine or more hours. This year, 105 schools are signed up to participate and will send information home with students. Families can also access tips and resources on the Healthy Kids website at www.healthykidsclub.org. FORT COLLINS BIKE TO WORK (OR WHEREVER) DAY Winter Bike to Work (or Wherever) Day is Friday, February 11 from 7am to 9:30am where local businesses and organizations provide free breakfast, comradery and maybe swag or goodies to community members who ride a bike to work (or scoot, walk or roll wherever) during the event times. So hop on your bike, etc. and look
to www.fcgov.com/bicycling/biketo-work-day for a map of breakfast stations all around Fort Collins. VIRTUAL COMMUNITY SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAININGS The Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County is offering free monthly virtual QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Trainings all year that share the three steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Sessions are 60-90-minutes, evidencedbased, full-certification trainings that offer 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and will take place the third Wednesday of each month with start times alternating between noon and 5:30pm. Participants will learn: the scope of the suicide problem (nationally and locally); myths and facts of suicide; warning signs of suicide or mental distress; how to ask someone if they are suicidal; how to encourage them to get
