Gluten-free food fair doing food drive

RAPID CITY - The Black Hills Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance support group will be doing a nonperishable gluten-free food drive for the local food bank on June 13 and 14, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital in the West Auditorium.

The event will be concurrent with the gluten-free food fair and expo at the same location. Times are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 13, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 14. Main Street Market will provide gluten-free and dairy-free pancakes for the first two hours of each day. For more information, call Sue at 341-0336 or e-mail sue57709@ yahoo.com

Record amount raised for Miracle Network

RAPID CITY - The Children's Miracle Network Celebration Broadcast raised a record-setting $403,903.

The money will be used to help ill and injured children in the area served by Rapid City Regional Hospital. The one-day event was televised live from the Rushmore Mall on Black Hills Fox.

"We once again thank the community for its tremendous support of the Children's Miracle Network at Rapid City Regional Hospital," said Tim Sughrue, CEO of Rapid City Regional Hospital.

The amount includes advance pledges from businesses, civic groups and the Rapid City Regional Hospital Auxiliary, on-air pledges received during the broadcast and proceeds from special events such as The Great Black Hills Duck Race.

Rex Briggs speaks

at state conference

RAPID CITY - Rex Briggs

recently was a keynote speaker at the South Dakota Nurse Anesthetists conference.

The title of his program was "Living as Though Your Hair's on Fire: Understanding and Reducing America's No. 1 Condition - Anxiety."

He presented the conditions of anxiety and stress - including worry, stomach problems, headaches, sleep disturbance, dizziness, phobias and chest pain - and described ways to manage anxiety other than self-medicating through chronic busyness, avoidance, alcohol or prescribed or illegal drugs. He also taught skills to eradicate excessive anxiety in a person's life.

Care Mobile offers care to children in need

RAPID CITY - The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile has been making biannual trips to Youth & Family Services and providing care for children in need for five years.

The program provided nearly $22,000 worth of care to 82 patients during the most recent visit this spring, serving not only those involved in YFS programs, but children referred to the program by schools and other service providers as well.

The Care Mobile provides an opportunity for treatment to children and young adults up to age 21 who do not have an identified dental provider or access to health care.

Care Mobile services are targeted toward areas with the greatest need, including low-

income families in cities as well as rural areas where no access to dental care is readily available.

The next care mobile visit will be in September.

For more information on YFS programs, call 342-4195 or go to www.youthandfamilyservices.

org.

VA Black Hills Health hosts outreach events

The Department of Veterans Affairs Black Hills Health Care System will host a series of outreach events for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans on the Rosebud Reservation. The outreach events will be:

y 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at the Swift Bear Community Center in White River.

y 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at the Winner Court House.

y 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the St. Thomas Catholic Church, St. Thomas Hall in Mission

y 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 18, at Rosebud Vet Center

The outreach events are designed to enable VA staff to connect with the newest returning service members and their families to provide education on their VA health care eligibility and benefits.

VA Black Hills OEF/OIF team members will be available to discuss outreach case management services available to veterans. Tribal and county veteran services officers also will be onsite to answer questions on additional benefits and assist with application and claims processing.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information about these outreach events, call Amber Heinert at 745-2000, Ext. 92327, or Tom Lowther, 891-8846.