You are invited to join us for the tree-lighting ceremony on Wednesday, December 5 at 5:30pm, in front of the Medical Center at 5 Garrett Avenue in La Plata. Following the ceremony, guests can enjoy a reception with light refreshments and holiday music.

To purchase a light for your loved one, please call 301-609-4132 or visit civista.org/foundation.htm.

Here are a few tips to keep your Independence Day celebration a happy, healthy, and safe one:

•    Use alcohol responsibly — don’t drink and drive cars or boats
•    Keep an anaphylaxis kit on hand for family and friends that may be allergic to insect stings
•    Remember to use ample sunscreen and reapply after being in the water
•    Make sure prescription medications won’t cause dangerous sun-sensitive reactions before going out
•    Drink plenty of fluids and spend time in the shade or indoors to avoid heat illness
•    Make sure to practice adequate hand washing to help prevent food poisoning

 Happy 4th of July from Civista!

Where we don’t want to see you is in the Emergency Department this New Year’s holiday. Celebrate Safely. Don’t Drink and Drive.

Here are five easy tips for helping you manage stress this holiday season:

1. Take a hike. Nothing relieves stress like walking away from it, and somehow things do look better when you get back.
2. Take a breather. Literally. Taking time out to breathe deeply several times a day will slow you down and clear your head.
3. Take time to help someone else. Nothing makes you appreciate what you have like giving to those in need. There are plenty of charitable organizations that need help this time of year. Help yourself by helping others.
4. Take time to share good news. Lorette LaRoche, humorist and author of “Relax, You Only Live Once” tells us, “Find someone doing something right and tell them.” Your words can make their day.
5. Take a look at the bright side. Remember, a sense of humor can put even the most stressful situations into perspective. Susan Vass, author of “Laughing Your Way to Good Health” advises, “Take frequent laugh breaks throughout the day. Learn to laugh at yourself.”

From all the doctors, nurses, administrators, and staff at Civista, we wish you the very happiest of holidays.

Pictured from left to right: Civista Employees Pam Anderson, Paula Hancock, Brenda Rosier, Karen Collins, Donna Gray, Amy Copeland, and Charles County Children’s Aid Society Board Member Pam Vahle

Once again this year, Civista Medical Center employees participated in the Christmas Connection Toy Drive for Charles County. Employees collected new unwrapped toys and gifts and held a bake sale/pizza sale that raised $1,270 to help needy families in our community. Special thanks go to Karen Collins, Donna Gray, Kim Stringer, Stephanie Simm, Amy Copeland, Brenda Rosier, Pam Anderson, and Paula Hancock for heading up this terrific effort.

Christmas Connection, the largest Christmas program in Charles County, includes five human service agencies that have combined their efforts to provide food and gifts for Charles County’s neediest families through donated funds, goods, and services. Annually, 3,000 children receive their Christmas toys, gifts, clothes, and food through this program. The agencies involved are: Charles County Children’s Aid Society, Charles County Department of Social Services, Department of Community Service Office on Aging, New Life Church, South Potomac Church, and The Salvation Army Charles County Service Unit. Thank you to all involved!

2011 Honorary Illuminator, Charles Carrington

Please join us at Civista Medical Center on Wednesday, December 7, at 5:30 p.m. as we light the Civista Health Foundation’s Christmas Tree of Life and pay tribute to our honorary illuminator, the late Charles Carrington—an avid Civista Health Foundation member, volunteer, advocate, and donor.

From all the Doctors, Nurses, and Staff of Civista, We Wish you a Happy and Safe 2011!

If you are having a new baby, considering a joint replacement, looking for a physician, or are ready to take more responsibility for your good health, we look forward to seeing you at Civista.

BUT WE DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT THIS NEW YEAR’S HOLIDAY. Celebrate safely. Don’t drink and drive.

Christmas Connection is the largest Christmas program in Charles County, providing food and gifts for Charles County’s disadvantaged families through donated funds, goods, and services. Approximately 3,000 children receive their Christmas toys, gifts, clothes, and food through this program every year. Civista employees collected over $685 to purchase toys and gifts to help needy families in our community who otherwise might not have much—or anything—for Christmas.

Pictured Left to Right: Susan Poloski, Children’s Aid Society Board Member, and Civista Employees Karen Winters, Pam Anderson, Stephanie Simm, Donna Gray, Kim Stringer, and Paula Hancock.

Even at this late hour, the program still needs financial donations, toy donations, and volunteers to help with distribution. Please call Christmas Connection at (301) 645-1561 for more information on how to help those in need in our community this holiday season.

Again, from all of us at Civista, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

1. Take a hike. So often when the weather gets colder and the days get shorter we don’t think of taking a walk. But this time of year is perfect for walking. The air is clear, the sun is bright, and nothing relieves stress like walking away from it. Somehow, things do look better when you get back.

2. Take a breather. Literally. During stressful times we tend to breathe more shallow and rapid giving us less oxygen for our brains and muscles. Taking time out to breathe deeply several times a day will slow you down and clear your head.

3. Take time to help someone else. Nothing makes you appreciate what you have more than giving to someone who needs your help. There are plenty of good organizations that need your help this time of year. You’ll help yourself as well as someone else.

4. Take time to share good news. Loretta LaRoche, humorist and author of  “Relax, You Only Live Once” says, “Find someone doing something right and tell them.” Your words can make someone’s day.

5. Take a look at the bright side. Remember a sense of humor can put even the most stressful situations into perspective. Susan Vass, author of Laughing Your Way to Good Health says, “In the spirit of concern for a troubled world, take care of your own mental health first. Take frequent laugh breaks throughout the day. Learn to laugh at yourself. Cultivate a sense of fun and play which carries over into all aspect of your busy life.”

Visit our Health eCooking recipes to find out how to make sweet potatoes sweeter, mashed potatoes lighter and cranberry sauce with only about 70 calories per serving. Try Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes cooked in a sweet orange juice and brown sugar glaze. Or Creamed Cauliflower that’s so velvety smooth you’ll want to skip the mashed potatoes and have seconds.

One of the secrets of a great Thanksgiving dinner is a moist stuffing. On our website, you’ll find a Health eCooking video from Chef Richard Marsh showing you how to make an easy Turkey Stuffing that comes out perfectly every time.

Health-care publisher Baldwin Publishing produces Health eCooking® for Civista Medical Center. Click Here to watch Health eCooking videos.

Recipe Copyright © 2010 Baldwin Publishing. Permission to reprint recipe is hereby granted; all other rights reserved. ®Health eCooking is a registered trademark of Baldwin Publishing.