AJH Community Health Foundation Annual “Fore Your Health” Golf Tournament

By Mary Williamson, Newburyport.Com Correspondent
Executive Director of the Anna Jaques Hospital Community Health Foundation, Mary brings more than 25 years of well-rounded management and fundraising experience grounded in relationship and community building. Her multi-faceted expertise will advance the philanthropic activities that support the sustainability and strategic initiatives of Anna Jaques Hospital.
Anna Jaques Hospital

Anna Jaques Hospital, AJH Community Health Foundation Fore Your Health Golf Tournament

The Anna Jaques Hospital, AJH Community Health Foundation 32nd Annual Fore Your Health Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, August 14th at Haverhill Country Club. This premier golf classic is an important annual community fundraiser and as always, all funds raised locally remain local helping to support critical local health initiatives. There are many ways to participate in this greater Newburyport event: sign up to golf, consider sponsorship or volunteer your time for the 2023 golf tournament.

As always the For Your Health Golf tournament is a day fun filled day featuring friendly competition with contests, raffles, and great prizes. The golf tournament stats with a 7:30 am shot gun start and an afternoon round starting at 12:30 pm. Players can enjoy breakfast and lunch on the terrace and patios and dinner will be served in the club ballroom where awards will be announced and prizes presented. Prizes will be presented to each golfer in the winning foursome. You do not have to be present to win.

Whether you’re a sponsor or a golfer register early as the Fore Your Health Golf Tournament is a very popular Greater Newburyport community event that you don’t want to miss. View 2023 Sponsorship opportunities and if you aren’t not a golfer, sign up to volunteer. The success of this event is always a collective effort and volunteer participation is greatly appreciated.

About the AJH Community Health Foundation

Led by a volunteer Board of Trustees, the Anna Jaques Hospital Community Health Foundation works with the hospital and medical staff to provide the highest quality medical care to our patients and improve the health of our community. The Foundation supports these goals through community outreach and education, and seeks philanthropic support from grateful patients and community members, employees, foundations, and businesses through outright gifts, events, and planned giving, and works closely with the AJH Aid Association.

Newburyport Pride Celebration – North Shore Pride Month Events

By Jodi Coburn, Newburyport.com Correspondent
Jodi is a freelance writer and former English teacher who has spent her entire life on the North Shore. She spends her time spoiling her dogs and children, doing craft projects, and thinking about Disney World.

Newburyport Pride Event with Governor Maura Healey

Newburyport Pride will feature a series of events starting on Thursday, June 1st in addition to the month long Newburyport Pride Art Exhibit at the NAA, a great opportunity for the city to show its true colors. All are invited to participate in these welcoming North Shore Pride Month festivities; a collective local effort designed to unite and expand the celebration far beyond the Newburyport community. In addition to the Newburyport Pride Events, many other local businesses and organizations are also hosting events throughout Pride Month.

For LGBTQ+ people, “community” might mean, at minimum, acceptance, inclusion, respect, and equality. In Newburyport, all people are valued, but Newburyport Pride in the Port goes beyond the mere minimums and truly celebrates this specific segment of its population and visitors.

There is a plethora of ways that organizations and businesses are showing the love: restaurant events, dance parties, inspirational speakers, entertainment, store specials, music, teen activities, a parade, beach party, and even special NBPT Pride Merch. Newburyport Pride has something for everyone, so you can bring the kids, the grandparents, and even the pooches. Check out the Newburyport Pride events’ summary below and visit the Newburyport Events Calendar for more detailed information on each event.

Newburyport Pride Month 2023 Events:

NBPT Pride Sunset Club kick-off Thurs. 6/1 from 4-8 p.m.
NBPT Pride City Hall Flag Raising Ceremony w/keynote speaker Governor Maura Healey Fri. 6/2 from 4-5 p.m.
NBPT Pride LGBTQ Dance & Comedy Event at NBPT Elks Fri. 6/2 from 6:30-10 p.m.
Youth Pride Dance at City Hall Fri. 6/2 from 7-9 p.m.
NBPT Pride Parade on Green Street Sat. 6/3 from 12-1 p.m.
NBPT Pride Tea-Dance at Bar25 Sat. 6/3 from 1-5 p.m.
NBPT Pride Concert, “The Woman Who Rode Away” at the Firehouse Sat. 6/3 from 8-10:30 p.m.
NBPT Pride Brunch Fundraiser @ Paddle Inn Supporting, The Point Foundation, Sun. 6/4, 10-3 p.m.
NBPT Pride Welcoming Service at First Religious Unitarian Universalist Sun. 6/4 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
NBPT Pride Non-denominational speaker Kimm Topping Sun. 6/4 from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
NBPT Pride Pawrty Hosted by Sweet Paws Rescue & Riverwalk Sun. 6/4 from 12-4 p.m.
NBPT Pride Full Moon Drumming & Closing Ceremonies Plum Island Main Beach Sun. 6/4, 8:30-9:30 p.m.
NBPT DOCUFEST, “How to Survive a Plague” at the Screening Room Mon. 6/5 from 7-9:30 p.m.
Jeanne Geiger Healthy Teen Relationships Workshop at City Hall Tues. 6/6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
NBPT Pride Week Finale Beach Party, Fri. 6/9 from 6-9 pm
Pride in the Port Sunset Cruise – Sat. 6/10 from 7-10 pm on the Merrimack River
NBPT Pride Art Exhibit at the Newburyport Art Association from 6/1 – 6/30. Open daily Tues – Sun.

For quick visibility to Newburyport Pride Events, download the Newburyport App and select, Events Calendar. Just search, “Newburyport” in the App Store or Play Store and download the free app. If you are unable to make it to Newburyport in person, you can view some of the festivities on the Newburyport.com Live Web Cams, also accessible through the Newburyport App.

Pride Month is meant to encourage LGBTQ+ people to be proud of who they are (in a world that can often make that difficult), and that’s certainly important, but the Pride in the Port event is also meant to show LGBTQ+ residents and visitors that Newburyport is proud to have them. As Mayor Sean Reardon said, “We are committed to being a city that is welcoming to all, and to creating…safe spaces and positive experiences for all…people.”

For more LGBTQ+ and Pride resources, check out: Newburyport Pride, Newburyport Public Library, Newburyport Youth Services, and NAGLY (North Shore Alliance of GLBTQ Youth).

2023 Newburyport Pride Speech by Governor Maura Healey at the Flag Raising Ceremony

2022 Newburyport Pride in the Port Celebration

Old Dog New Itch: Does Your Dog Have Dry Itchy Dog Skin?

By Kim Casey, Newburyport.Com Correspondent
Kim is a huge animal lover and proud owner of two labs. Kim is also an Internet marketer and works closely with The Beach Dog Daycare in Newburyport. She enjoys writing and researching combined with blogging. She is an independent marketer and is self-employed but being an animal lover The Beach Dog Daycare is one of her favorite clients.
The Beach Dog Doggie Day Care

Old Dog New Itch: Does Your Dog Have Dry Itchy Dog Skin?, Newbury MA

I’m a new age hippie so if there is an herbal holistic remedy out there I’m going to find it. So when my old dog got a new itch I went on a mission. Her symptoms were mild, so I searched dry itchy dog skin.

I am the proud owner of two beautiful Labs, Madeline and Belladonna. Unfortunately Maddy is getting old, she’s in great spirits and she wags her tail all day long. She wags so hard her entire butt moves, we call it “the Mad Dog Shuffle.” Mad because we call her Mad Dog as a nickname, not because she’s mad…quite the opposite…she’s a very happy old lady.

At this stage in her life I noticed a difference in the gloss of her coat and the drying of her skin. I put a little olive oil on her dog food but she started loosing fur in spots and she was getting stinky as well. I thought the problem might be a little more than just old age so I started an Internet search. There are many educative websites that help you diagnose why your dog has dry itchy skin. WikiHow has a really good article on different skin irritants in dogs. After a few research articles I was happy to self diagnose Maddy’s itchy dog syndrome with a skin bacteria due to her old age and weakening immune system. She simply had dry itchy dog skin due to getting older.

So know what? I was on the right track with adding olive oil to her dog food. Olive oil is a strong antioxidant and helps to boost her weakening immune system. I also found that onion is an all natural anti-bacterial and antibiotic. There are a few herbs listed and you might have what you need in your kitchen. I started using chopped dried onions instead of cutting them myself. Maddy likes apples but I’m not sure she would like a fresh onion. I used my new regime once a day for about a week when I noticed a huge difference in her fur. I am happy to announce and share that her skin is vibrant, her dry itchy dog skin is cured, and she smells…well like a dog.

One final note to keep in mind, know your dog’s digestive tolerances and only use onion for a limited treatment. Onion and garlic are labeled as toxic to animals, this treatment is only for a temporary fix, just as humans would use an antibiotic for a prescribed amount of time. I believe the onion cured the bacterial growth load in my dog’s skin and now she does not need the treatment, my old dog has no more itchy dog skin and her fur is growing back and has a shine to it.

The Story Behind Children’s Health Care

By Christine D. Riccardi, MD, Newburyport.Com Correspondent
Pediatrician for Children's Health Care, Dr. Riccardi is an expert in field of Children's Health providing comprehensive pediatric and adolescent medical care. Dr. Riccardi has over nine years of experience with Children's Health Care and two years prior experience with a private practice in Syracuse NY.
Children's Health Care

It may seem like just a sign. But the Children’s Health Care logo – that red and blue circle with our name across it – has a story behind it.

In fact there are countless stories behind CHC. Each and every patient, family member, staff member, and CHC medical provider contributes a new chapter every day. We look forward to sharing some of these stories with you in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, consider it more than a sign: the CHC brand speaks to our full circle approach to your child’s healthcare. For you and your family, that means:

A personalized care plan for each child
A team of board-certified physicians from which to choose
Exceptional nurse practitioners on your ‘team’
Specialists including CHC’s Special Care Coordinator and a Pediatric Board Certified Nutritionist
Walk-in sick visits 7 days per week
Evening hours 5 days per week
After hour and weekend calls which are covered entirely by CHC providers
Triage nurses available to answer questions by phone during office hours
Network of specialists for referral for complex medical and surgical issues

The CHC Team cares for the whole child by offering a full range of pediatric and adolescent services including:

Free prenatal “meet the provider” visits
Newborn to adolescent well child check ups
Acute illnesses
Minor emergencies
Management of chronic illnesses
Behavioral and school-related concerns
Nutritional consultation
Special care coordinator

CHC’s board-certified providers have been serving generations of families from the North Shore, Merrimack Valley, Southern New Hampshire, and the Seacoast region since 1972. We provide a full range of preventive and urgent care services in our Newburyport and Haverhill offices.

The CHC team is dedicated to providing comprehensive health and wellness care from birth through adolescence. Child-centered and family-focused, we partner with parents to provide personalized and compassionate care for the whole child.

We invite you to visit us in Newburyport or Haverhill, by phone, or at www.chcmass.org.