Honor Veterans This Month, Then Celebrate The Winter Holidays Next, With The Wheat Ridge Historical Society
The Wheat Ridge Historical Society’s November Second Saturday Celebration falls on Nov. 13, so join the Wheat Ridge Historical Society in honoring our veterans with a flag ceremony, some live music and good conversation at the Baugh House, West 44th Avenue and Robb Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Next month, help WRHS ring in the holiday season twice this year, first in person at our annual Holiday Celebration, scheduled for Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., also at the Baugh House. Wear your most colorful, creative holiday sweater and win prizes. Be sure to bring your favorite holiday cookies for the annual cookie exchange and a “White Elephant” gift to exchange for another treasure; join in some old-fashioned merriment of the season, caroling and socializing.
The second holiday celebration will be at the WRHS holiday board meeting and program on Tuesday, Dec. 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., online using the Zoom platform (email us for a link). After the business meeting at 6:30, during which the board will elect officers, we’ll share stories of holidays past. Send us a picture of yourself dressed up in holiday finery, and we’ll share it.
The Historical Park museums are open only on Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., until further notice. We do, however, take appointments for tours on other days. We’ll be happy to accommodate your needs; just call or email us (see contact information below). Although the Soddy is temporarily closed for repairs, the other museums in the park are open for tours.
The WRHS board recently restructured the dues categories and voted to increase rates. Join now and we’ll toss in an extra month on a new 2022 membership. If you’re already a member, now’s the time to pay 2022 dues.
For more information go to wheatridgehistoricalsociety.org, email us at wrhistorical@gmail.com, call 303-421-9111, or stop by the Red Brick House on Fridays at 4610 Robb St. Be sure to follow us on Facebook.
Holiday Gift Show And Sale Follows Dia De Los Muertos Exhibition At Lakewood Arts Gallery
The Lakewood Arts Gallery, 6731 W. Colfax Ave. (next to Casa Bonita), will be having its Annual Holiday Gift Show and Sale during the month of December. A First Friday Art Walk and Reception will take place on Friday, Dec. 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. Come shop fine arts and crafts while enjoying music, refreshments and holiday cheer!
Until then, check out the Dia de los Muertos exhibit, on display through Nov. 19. On both the Community Wall and President’s Wall will be artwork from Colfax Elementary School students.
Normal gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
Call 303-980-0625 or go to lakewoodarts.org for more info.
Jeffco Public Health Wants You To Know STI Rates Are On The Rise
According to a recent release from Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH), rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising in the county, especially among young adults and teens. So, JCPH wants residents to be aware of their risk and take important steps to protect themselves.
Though historically Jefferson County has seen lower rates of STIs than Colorado as a whole, rates of infection with STIs — particularly chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis — have been steadily climbing in Jeffco for the last five years. This means an increased risk for all individuals who are having unprotected sex with new partners.
According to JCPH, from 2019 to 2020, Jeffco experienced a 23.4 percent increase in chlamydia rates, 22.4 percent increase in gonorrhea rates and 41 percent increase in syphilis rates (rates per 100,000 people). The highest rates of new STI cases are found among young adults, emphasizing the need for prevention among this age group. In addition, in 2020 and 2021 there was an identified cluster of HIV cases within 15- to 19-year-olds in Jeffco. No additional cases have been reported, but testing is encouraged for anyone who meets national HIV screening guidelines.
Learn more about sexually transmitted infections at www.jeffco.us/2121/Sexually-Transmitted-Infections.
Colorado Recognizes Lutheran Medical Center As A ‘Healthy Hospital’
SCL Health Lutheran Medical Center is one of three hospitals in Colorado to receive the highest recognition from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, reaching the Platinum level in the Colorado Healthy Hospitals Compact (CHHC) program initiative, according to a recent release from Lutheran.
Lutheran is a founding partner of the initiative, which is an agreement by partner hospitals to promote breastfeeding and offer healthier food and beverage options in cafeterias, vending machines and patient menus. This work helps to develop a culture of wellness and contributes to the state’s goal of making Colorado the healthiest state.
“This recognition is possible thanks to our entire team of associates, working behind the scenes to help us maintain the highest level of recognition,” said Kristen Davis, MS, RDN, director of Nutrition Services at Lutheran. “We are making daily decisions about menu choices, such as healthy entrees and grill specials, eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages and ensuring the patient menu meets the criteria for healthy options. We are proud to be able to make healthy food choices visible and accessible.”
There are four programs under the CHHC, including healthier food, healthier beverages, marketing and breastfeeding. Each program has a specific set of standards, and each standard is assigned a number of points to award that, when totaled, place the hospital into one of four categories – Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Wheat Ridge Earns National Re-Accreditation in Parks and Recreation
The City of Wheat Ridge remains in the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies across the country by earning re-accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), awarded during the 2021 NRPA Annual Conference, according to a city press release.
CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community.
As part of the re-accreditation process, Wheat Ridge had to demonstrate compliance with 154 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures.
“CAPRA re-accreditation demonstrates to our community that our organization and our staff provide the City of Wheat Ridge with the highest level of service. I’m so incredibly proud of the work that the Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation team put into this process, as well as the quality programs and services that they provide each and every day,” said Parks and Recreation Director Karen O’Donnell.
The process for re-accreditation involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained visitors that results in a written report, and a hearing with the commission to grant accreditation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s visitations were held virtually. Once accredited, the agency must uphold the standards by submitting an annual report and is reviewed for re-accreditation every five years.
For more information about CAPRA accreditation, visit www.nrpa.org/CAPRA.
Lutheran Medical Center Earns National Recognition for Efforts to Improve Stroke Treatment
SCL Health Lutheran Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s 2021 Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Achievement Award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, per a press release from SCL Health.
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and speeding recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines-Stroke was developed to assist healthcare professionals to provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating stroke patients.
Each year program participants apply for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Lutheran also provides education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.
Lutheran also received the Association’s Target: Stroke Elite Plus. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.
Additionally, Lutheran received the Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award. For this award, hospitals successfully treated at least 50 percent of qualified stroke patients within 90 minutes of arriving directly to their facility and within 60 minutes of arriving by EMS transport.
Lutheran has met specific scientific guidelines as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. Lutheran was designated a Comprehensive Stroke Center by DNV-GL Healthcare Accreditation Service in 2019.
