Support Electric Rail, By Jondi Gumz Kaiser Opens Vaccine Center • Capitola Coast Lions Club Supports

COMMUNITY NEWS Kaiser Opens Vaccine Center

On March 18, Kaiser Permanente opened a COVID-19 vaccine center at the Kaiser Permanente Arena, home of the Santa Cruz Warriors, in downtown Santa Cruz for Kaiser Permanente members and others in the community.

Depending on vaccine supply, the clinic is expected to operate 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kaiser Permanente members and non-members can check eligibility and schedule an appointment by completing an e-visit at kp.org/ covidvaccine.

This is where non-members will be asked about their age, health conditions and essential worker status and, if eligible, get a medical record number essential for Kaiser record-keeping.

“We want to express our gratitude to all those involved with the Santa Cruz Warriors and at Kaiser Permanente who helped make this a reality,” said Dr. William Maclean, physician in charge for Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County. “We’ll be working hard to help vaccinate community members as quickly and equitably as possible.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Santa Cruz Warriors did not play any games in the arena last year, instead

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz A line of people with COVID-19 vaccine appointments forms outside the Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz, on March 19. Security staff asks each person entering: “Do you have an appointment?” participating in the NBA G League “bubble” from Feb. 10 to March 6 resort near Orlando.

“We are proud to have Kaiser Permanente as a partner of the Santa Cruz Warriors and are excited to serve our community as a vaccination site,” said Santa Cruz Warriors President Chris Murphy. “I look forward to working with them to vaccinate our local community members and getting closer to the end of this pandemic.”

Kaiser Permanente follows state and CDC guidance regarding priority for vaccinations. Eligibility currently includes educators, including teachers, school staff, and childcare workers, those in emergency services, public transportation workers, and food and agriculture workers, in addition to health care workers, those age 65 and older, and those 16 to 64 with medical conditions making them more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Vaccinations are available by appointment only.

“We have been vaccinating both members and non-members through our clinics in Scotts Valley and Watsonville, in addition to our San Jose and Clara Medical Centers,” said Sam Bajaj, chief operating officer for Kaiser Permanente San Jose and Santa Cruz County. “As supply increases, the larger footprint of the arena will allow Kaiser Permanente to scale up its vaccination efforts and provide increased access to vaccines for residents.” n •••

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, eligibility and how to make an appointment, visit kp.org/covidvaccine.

Capitola Coast Lions Club Supports Common Roots Farm

By Krista Brassfield

The Capitola Coast Lions Club is a new Lions club that formed during 2020 and is open to residents from all over Santa Cruz County.

The club joined together with the Common Roots Farm, a nonprofit in Santa Cruz that may not be well known. The main goal of the Lions club is to support the farm and help raise funds and awareness surrounding their mission to welcome and accommodate people with disabilities, particularly developmental disabilities.

The farm accomplishes this in two ways: Designing for universal access in as many areas as possible (such as their wheelchair accessible greenhouse, raised bed area and planned accessible perimeter path), and by cultivating a culture of inclusion.

It is a production farm that is a safe, educational environment and allows the experience of farming, accessible to people with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Since the club’s inception in August, the COVID 19 pandemic and during and after the devastating fires. Members conducted a Holiday Toy Drive and a Food Drive.

On March 9, the Capitola Coast Lions club hosted its first Student Speakers Contest, the club level round of California Lions Student Speakers Foundation’s 84th Annual Contest for high school students. The winner is scheduled to compete at the next round at the end of March, hoping to advance in the contest.

The Capitola Coast Lions will be participating in upcoming beach cleanups at Rio del Mar Beach with the Aptos Leo Club. Members hold ongoing, weekly service projects at the Common Roots Farm and on Saturday, April 10, the club plans to build obelisks for plant starts and a table from recycled wood pallets. They will participate in a restoration project with the Watsonville Wetlands on Saturday, April 24.

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