Community Newsletter | October 2023

Blender Bike Salsa!

You may have seen our famous Blender Bike in action recently at the Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market and the Festival of Family Farms at Double O Ranch. Usually, we're blending up smoothies for those who drop by, but lately, we've been making Blender Bike salsa with the last of the season’s tomatillos. It's been a huge hit and a tasty way to connect with visitors about Basic Food benefits.

Try it at home with our easy blender Salsa Verde recipe (no bike required)! And if you're interested in learning more or applying for Basic Food, we can provide assistance in both English and Spanish. Visit our Basic Food webpage!

Click to download the

Salsa Verde recipe

Cooking with Kids - Purple Pancake Perfection

Fall has arrived, and along with it comes fall vegetables. Try these delicious Purple Vegetable Pancakes (proven to be a favorite with kids) from Cooking Matters. This is a great recipe to make with young helpers, as there’s plenty of grating, stirring, and flipping to be done. We prefer to skip the pineapple dipping sauce and serve them with applesauce or sour cream seasoned with salt and pepper.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day - October 28th

Help prevent accidental poisoning and intentional misuse of medications. Bring your unused or unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications for safe disposal October 28 from 10 am – 2 pm. Click for more details and drop-off locations.

We'll also have free medication lock bags available to keep your current medications safe. Request a lock bag when you make your drop-off, or click to request one by mail.

BE Well -- Burlington-Edison HS Students in Action

The Burlington Healthy Community Coalition is proud to announce a new substance use prevention club at BEHS called BE Well! A group of students have formed to work on improving the mental health and well-being of their classmates. The club is kicking off the year with a recruitment drive, work on a club logo, and several projects intended to assist their peers in living healthier lives. If you would like to join the club or get more information, please contact Käaren Flint at kaaren.flint@unitedgeneral.org.

Boost Your Immunity This Flu and Cold Season

Flu and cold season is nearly here. Did you know that regular exercise can improve your immune system and make vaccines more effective? Exercise releases messenger molecules into your body, which stimulate your immune system and help it deal with infection. Additionally, the antibody response following vaccination is typically strongest in younger people as well as those who are fit and healthy.

How much exercise is enough to reap these rewards? Most studies show that 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week will be enough to benefit your immune system.



Want more details? Check out this article from University of Washington Medicine for more information.

Volunteer, Connect, Have Fun, and Get Your Hands Dirty!

The latest Skagit Trail Builders (STB) work session was super productive, thanks to an amazing crew of 24 volunteers and the hard-working STB crew leaders. These community members excavated, moved, and spread loads of soil; leveled the trail for comfortable walking; and enjoyed each other’s company. Volunteers included students from Sedro-Woolley High School, staff from District 304, and other people who care about trails and trail access.

Skagit Trail Builders could not do this work without the support of our volunteers. They are creating this beautiful trail system near “the big rock” on Hill Creek Trail, that residents and visitors will be able to use year-round. See the current project map.



We have three more work parties scheduled for 2023: October 28, November 11, and December 9. We’d love to see you there! Sign up today!

Keeping PeaceHealth Workers Hydrated

Want to try the 21-Day Water Buddy Challenge? Click to download the form!

As part of the Local Strategies for Nutrition and Physical Activity (LSPAN) grant from the CDC, we launched Healthy Eating and Drinking in the Workplace at PeaceHealth Sedro-Woolley. In September we kicked off a “21-Day Water Buddy Challenge” to encourage increased water consumption during work shifts. Water Buddy partners contacted each other with reminders about drinking water, tried a variety of strategies to increase their consumption, and logged their daily water intake for 21 days.

The most popular strategies were:

1. Keeping a glass of water near you at work for a visual reminder to take a sip

2. Filling a water bottle to drink on your drive to or from work.

WIC Has Breastfeeding Counselor Support

Lupe Plascencia is a former WIC client, so she can relate to local families who need breastfeeding support at a parent-to-parent level. Lupe provides in-person and remote Breastfeeding Support Services to WIC clients at our three clinics: Sedro-Wooley, Concrete, and Stanwood.

New parents have better success meeting their lactation and feeding goals when they have a strong support person like Lupe. We want families to be best prepared for possible challenges and offer solutions.

Lupe says: “Watching moms grow more confident and positive about their breastfeeding experience is a great part of my job!”

“My heart is committed to supporting families in our community and sharing my experience and knowledge,” says Lupe. “We welcome expecting parents to our monthly online Lactation/Breastfeeding class. We talk about how to latch the baby, nursing positions, hunger cues, and infant behavior.” 

Did you know you can use your Fred Meyer card to help make our programs possible? Through Fred Meyer Community Rewards, you can link your card to Foundation of District 304. Link your card in person on your next visit, or click here to do it online. Funds support classes, trainings, and programs for Foundation of District 304 at no cost to you!

Thank You!