Akron Children’s Hospital is seeking volunteers to help with one of its largest annual fundraising campaigns.
“Change Bandits” collect donations of spare change that will be turned in to the hospital Feb. 7-9 during the 14th Have a Heart, Do Your Part radiothon on WKDD (98.1-FM).
All money collected is used by the hospital for medical research, education and patient care programs.
Since 2000, the annual radiothon has generated nearly $7.3 million for the pediatric hospital. Last year, more than $200,000 of the $789,000 raised during the event was collected by Change Bandit volunteers.
For more information about the program or to register as a Change Bandit, visit www.akronchildrens.org/forms/change_bandits.html Participants also can register by faxing their name, address and phone number to 330-543-4335.
Helping smokers quit
Resolve to quit smoking this year?
A local support group is available to help people who are in all stages of kicking the habit.
Nicotine Anonymous meets from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday in the basement of the United Methodist Church in Stow, 4880 Fishcreek Road.
The 12-step-based program is free for people who want to stop smoking.
For more information about the group and a list of other meetings available throughout the state, go online to www.ohio-nica.org.
Healthful weight loss
Learn how to achieve a healthful weight loss goal without following fad diets during a free program at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Hudson Library and Historical Society.
Registered dietician Suzanne Kim will talk about the keys to a healthful diet and provide tips for working healthful food concepts into daily routines.
Kim is a licensed dietician and nutrition counselor who focuses on weight loss and cardiac health.
The library is located at 96 Library Street in downtown Hudson.
Registration isn’t required. For more information, call the library’s reference desk at 330-653-6658, ext. 1010, or go online to www.hudsonlibrary.org.
Wellness services
Aultman Hospital is offering free health and wellness services at Petitti’s Garden Center Indoor Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. to noon the third Saturday of every month, beginning this Saturday.
The WOW (Wellness on Wheels) program will offer free blood pressure screenings, blood fat percentage, weight and body mass index checks and carbon monoxide screenings.
Free nicotine gum samples also will be available.
Petitti’s Garden Center is at 5828 Columbus Road in Louisville.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/abjcherylpowell.
