South Coast Senior College is presenting WinterScape Potpourri, a series of online experiences. During the months of January and February, a number of experiences will be offered free on Zoom. Staying connected and making new friends helps reduce isolation and elements of the winter doldrums due to the pandemic, while staying safely at home.

South Coast Senior College has re-invented itself in the online world due to the Covid times everyone is navigating. The board of directors has worked to provide quality courses. This spring, South Coast Senior College expects to offer more classes.

Meanwhile, come select from the Potpourri free sessions like Winter Music, Writing a Legacy Letter, Seniors Connecting with Children through Quality Reading, Tech Tips from the Cloud, Book Club in Triplicate, Two Sides to Every Issue, Beating the Wintertime Blues with Mindfulness and Meditation and much more.

The sessions provide and opportunity for seniors to enjoy the Maine winter by meeting friends in the world of Zoom. Participants are encouraged to bring a virtual friend to the sessions.

South Coast Senior College is part of the Maine Senior College Network. It is open to all residents of York County and Seacoast New Hampshire, ages 50 and older.

For more information, visit south-coast-senior-college.coursestorm.com.

Southern Maine Health Care further restricts visitation

In response the ongoing pandemic, Southern Maine Health Care implemented tighter visitor restrictions. This is being done to prevent or limit community spread of the virus. The new rules went into effect Dec. 4 for Southern Maine Health Care locations and medical practices.

The new guidelines for visitors are as follows:

Hospital Inpatients areas:

No visitors will be allowed for Special Care or Medical/Surgical units except as needed for care plan discussions at the time of admissions or as arranged with the care team. This includes patients in isolation for COVID-19 infection or being evaluated for COVID-19 infection except for end of life.

Obstetrics: One spouse/coach allowed in labor and delivery area

Emergency Department: No visitors allowed in the waiting rooms. Pediatric patients may be accompanied by two parents/guardians.

Outpatient Surgery, Procedural Areas, Ambulatory/Diagnostic Areas: Patients should come alone or arrange for drop-off and pick-up unless they need special assistance. Pediatric patients may be accompanied by two parents/guardians.

All visitors/escorts are subject to screening for COVID-19. Visitors/escorts with any COVID-19 symptoms will NOT be allowed to enter SMHC facilities.

Visitors and escorts must:

Perform hand hygiene prior to entering and upon leaving the patient’s room/care area;

Remain at least six feet from the patient at all times (as much as possible);

Wear a mask at all times in the facility, including patient rooms;

Cover mouth/nose when coughing or sneezing, use and dispose of tissues and perform hand hygiene after contact with respiratory secretions; and

Not go to any locations in the facility other than the room of the patient they are visiting. Hospital cafeterias are closed to visitors.

For more information, visit www.smhc.org.

Museum puts holiday focus on immigrant stories

The Brick Store Museum’s annual Holiday Candlelight Stroll, which tells the stories of local immigrants in the 19th century through reenactors, returns this year – virtually. The program takes place over two evenings: Dec. 19 and Dec. 30, and will guide visitors through the museum’s historic buildings to vignettes of each family.

Attendees have two choices for tickets: virtual tour-only, for $5; or a Stroll Package offering an historic dinner and cultural tastes for $35 (which will be take-out).

The evening of Dec. 19 will feature the stories and traditions of the Rosinsteins of Russia, the Tvedts of Norway, the Nests of Germany, and the Dubes of Canada (new this year). Next, Dec. 30 will feature New Year’s traditions with the Berrys of Ireland, the MacDonalds of Scotland, and the Blanchards of Syria, all of whom immigrated to the Kennebunks to work in the labor and mill industries.

Visitors will join an immersive program featuring first-person reenactors telling the story of historic immigrant families; and and receive do-it-yourself cultural crafts after registering for the program.

On both dates, tickets for tour-only (via video link, sent to email) are $5; and a Candlelight Stroll Package includes a dinner inspired by our featured traditions ($30/members, $35 non-members).

The Historic Dinner includes choice of entrée, either turkey (with cornbread stuffing) or tourtière (pork pie), or vegetarian option maple-glazed tofu; to be accompanied by mashed potatoes, root vegetable medley, cranberry sauce, fresh rolls and butter. For dessert, a sampler of cultural holiday desserts from Germany, Norway, Syria, Russia, Canada, Ireland and Scotland will be included.

Stroll dinner packages can be ordered for pick-up either Dec. 19 or Dec. 30, and will be available for pickup on those days. The deadline for ordering is five days before each event.

How tickets work: Tour-only tickets allow access to one tour. If interested in both tours, please purchase both days (at $5 each). Participants will receive a link via email to access the video tour on the assigned day. Those who order Stroll packages will receive access to both video programs with their meal. Participants will need to select the date (Dec. 19 or Dec. 30) for a take-out meal.

The Holiday Candlelight Stroll is sponsored by H.M. Payson. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit  www.brickstoremuseum.org.

Red Cross urges blood donations

December may be the season of giving – but it’s typically a challenging time to collect enough blood donations. Add in a pandemic, and this year could be even tougher than usual. That’s why the American Red Cross is urging those who are feeling well to give the gift of life by donating blood or platelets this holiday season.

The need for blood doesn’t stop for holidays. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, more than 1 million blood transfusions will be given in the United States. Donations of all blood types are needed to ensure hospital shelves remain stocked to meet patient blood needs.

Make an appointment to give blood, platelets or plasma with the Red Cross by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

To encourage donations this holiday season, those who come to donate blood, platelets or plasma with the Red Cross between Dec. 18 and Jan. 4 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.

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