Health & Wellness

Feasibility studies for aquatics, senior centers nearing completion

Aug 03, 2023 | By: Ed Friedrich

Consultants are preparing draft reports. The PenMet board will review them in September and determine whether to proceed.

Business Spotlight: Perfectly Preemie provides outfits for the tiniest humans

Jul 24, 2023 | By: Marsha Hart

Dressing a newborn in their first outfit is a milestone experience for new parents. But when the newborn is premature, that first outfit is really special. Cressie Baerg, owner of the Gig Harbor business Perfectly Preemie, has been making that memorable moment happen for parents of premature babies all over the country. The company, which

Food Backpacks 4 Kids serves free Lunch in the Park for students during the summer to help fill the gap for students who rely on meals provided by schools. There are four meal site locations, two in Gig Harbor, two on Key Peninsula. The summer meal program runs July 11 through Aug. 31.

Homeless students lose resources during summer break. Who’s filling the gap?

Jul 10, 2023 | By: Christina T Henry

When summer break comes, the connection with schools is disrupted, leaving homeless students potentially adrift, but the district and other organizations help with such things as food and transportation.

Wellness Wednesday: Alzheimer’s awareness and brain health

Jun 14, 2023 | By: Scot Fleshman

Alzheimer’s Disease is a sickness that we are all too familiar with. While factors play a role in contributing to one’s risk, there is no definite cause as to who will develop the disease as they age. As June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month, we feel it is important to educate our community

Forest bathing at Crescent Valley Lavender Farm

Jun 12, 2023 | By: Julianna Verboort

“Shinrin-yoku” is a Japanese term that translates to “forest bath.” It is the practice of spending time in the forest to absorb nature. Steeping your senses in natural surroundings encourages relaxation and stress relief. You can experience elevated forest bathing at Crescent Valley Lavender Farm in Gig Harbor, with its immense rolling hill of purple

Hospice chaplain helps patients find peace

May 15, 2023 | By: Marsha Hart

When Pierre Allegre joined the United States Air Force 23 years ago, he had a master’s degree in divinity. He worked for 23 years as an Air Force chaplain. Allegre recently retired from the United States Air Force Reserves, and for five years he has been working for MultiCare Home Health and Hospice as a

Wellness Wednesday: Mental Health Awareness Month

May 10, 2023 | By: Scot Fleshman

The Wellness Wednesday column is written by Scot Fleshman, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and board-certified family nurse practitioner. Fleshman and his wife, Jessica Hopkins, own Gig Harbor Primary Care. Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the U.S. for 73 years, and the need for awareness has only grown since then. Throughout the month of May,

Students learning mental health first aid

May 08, 2023 | By: Christina T Henry

Editor’s note: This story deals with mental health issues, including suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, text HOME to 741741, the Crisis Text Line, or call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. When someone is having a heart attack, most people know to call 911 and start CPR. But what

Gig Harbor YMCA pool closed from May 8 through June 26

May 04, 2023 | By: Vince Dice

The closure of the aquatics center at the Tom Taylor Family YMCA in Gig Harbor will no doubt stifle early-summer fun for some families. But when it reopens near the end of June, it’ll be like a breath of fresh air. Literally. In addition to a new roof over the pool area, the aquatics center

Love of sports and teammates’ support helped Peninsula’s Clark beat cancer

Apr 27, 2023 | By: Vince Dice

Toward the end of his sophomore wrestling season at Peninsula High School, Boden Clark started noticing some unusual bone pain. It’s wrestling. Pain is part of the deal. He figured it was no biggie. Then his cardiovascular fitness started to lag, bizarre for a highly active two-sport athlete who prides himself on being in great

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