Ministry provides cancer support program

GNAW BONE — Nondenominational group Heart of Christ Ministries, 5181 State Road 46 East, offers a program called Thriving Hope Cancer Care Ministry.

Sponsored by Our Journey of Hope from the cancer treatment centers of America, the ministry provides people touched by cancer with help and spiritual counsel specific to the needs of cancer patients, caregivers or loved ones. Leaders completed a Bible-based cancer care training program.

With questions, to get involved or to receive help, call 812-371-0247. For more information, visit Heart of Christ Ministries on Facebook.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings scheduled

Alcoholics Anonymous has meetings most weekdays at several Brown County locations:

6:30 p.m. Tuesdays — Closed men’s discussion meetings, Brown County Presbyterian Fellowship, 602 North State Road 135

8 p.m. Tuesdays — Closed literature study, The Fieldhouse, 98 W. Washington St.

8 p.m. Wednesdays — Open discussion meetings, Sycamore Valley Community Center at the fairgrounds

9:30 a.m. Fridays — Open literature discussions, lower-level meeting room, Brown County Public Library, 205 N. Locust Lane

8 p.m. Mondays — Open discussion meetings, Sycamore Valley Community Center, 746 Memorial Drive at the fairgrounds

Open meetings are available to anyone interested in this program of recovery from alcoholism. Non-alcoholics can attend open meetings as observers.

Closed meetings are for AA members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and want to stop.

Support for family members meets Sundays

Parents of Addicted Loved ones (PAL), a support group for parents and the community, meets at 4 p.m. Sundays in the fellowship hall at Parkview Church of the Nazarene, 1750 State Road 46 East. Enter by the side door.

Family members 18 years or older are welcome. The group will discuss the needs of parents and family supporting addicts, how best to support loved ones, how to educate the community and break the stigma.

For more information, contact Pamela McCoy at 812-606-4176 or [email protected].

Women’s support group meets on Mondays

A women’s recovery group meets at 6:30 p.m. Mondays for about 90 minutes.

Child care is available. For more information, including the location, call Carrie at 812-320-1201.

Vaccines given at health department

The Brown County Health Department, on the second floor of the County Office Building, 201 Locust Lane, is offering immunizations free of charge for uninsured adults. Adults and children who are insured also can be immunized at the health department without paying a doctor’s office visit fee; bring your insurance card with you.

Vaccines include tetanus, Hepatitis A and B, dTap, MMR, PVC13, PPSV23, varicella and others.

For more information or to make an appointment, call the health department at 812-988-2255 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Health department providing free sharps containers

The Brown County Health Department is giving out sharps collection containers that residents can use to safely dispose of needles, syringes and lancets.

Containers may be picked up or dropped off at the Brown County Health Department, 201 Locust Lane, weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with the exception of holidays.

Once the container is full, it can be returned to the Brown County Health Department for free disposal. Anyone can get another free sharps container upon return of a sealed full one.

The health department will only collect and dispose of FDA-cleared sharps containers. Alternative sharps containers, such as laundry detergent bottles or coffee cans, will not be accepted. Sharps containers are for sharps only. No other waste is to be placed in the container.

This is not a syringe exchange program. It is “an effort to keep sharps out of our daily trash and helping to maintain Brown County as a beautiful place to work and live,” the health department reported in a press release.

For more information, call the Brown County Health Department at 812-988-2255 and ask for the nursing division.

Addiction recovery support offered at church

From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, New Life Community Church, 1450 State Road 135 North, hosts weekly recovery support meetings, known as Battlefield For Freedom, for people struggling with addiction. For more information, call Melissa Tatman at 812-320-9838.

BETA program offering paid work for seniors

BETA (Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association is now qualified to receive employment placements through the National Able Network, a service program for seniors age 55 and older.

The program is funded by the federal government. Seniors of low income can qualify to work with BETA from 18 to 40 hours per week for pay. For details, contact Jacque Denny at 812-657-2138 or [email protected].

To inquire about volunteering for BETA, contact Clara Stanley at 312-310-3617 or [email protected].

BETA has moved to a new location in town

BETA (Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association Inc.) has moved to a new place at 175 S. Jefferson St. across from The Salvation Army church. BETA started meeting there from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays in November.

Junior high and high school-aged public school or home-schooled students are welcome to attend this after-school program with free snacks and enrichment programs provided at no costs to teens or families.

Donations can be sent to BETA, P.O. Box 1194, Nashville, IN 47448. For more information, contact Clara Stanley at 312-310-3617 or [email protected] with questions, to volunteer or donate.