Newsletter
October 6, 2021The weekly update is packed this week with month-long observances and upcoming events.
It's Mental Illness Awareness Week and I've included both information from this past session as well as resources for you and your family.
October, as many of you probably know, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You're probably already seeing pink in many places to help you remember to get your mammogram or remind the women in your life to do so.
Next weekend, I'll be hosting a Pollinator Pathway walk in Canton (details below). One of the best ways we can address our climate crisis is to be aware of what we are planting, what we are using in our yards, and what we can do to help critters, creatures and the Earth. Also, save the date of October 20th for an online chat with BikeWalk CT (this one was rescheduled and we will have more details soon).
I look forward to seeing you at an event in the near future.
| Mental Illness Awareness Week |
As you may have read this morning in The Hartford Courant, CCMC is seeing an uptick in mental health cases. We have been in a mental health crisis for a very long time and many aspects of the pandemic have exacerbated that. Below, you will see some of the pieces we put into place in this year's session and I know my colleagues and I can do more.
This week is National Mental Illness Awareness Week and if you haven't heard, it's important that we reinforce to one another, it's ok to be struggling and it's even better to ask for help. We must be committed to ending the stigma around mental health issues if we all want to get better.
If you or a loved one need mental health help, please visit the state website by clicking on the image below.
| October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
Breast cancer is sometimes found after symptoms appear, but many women with breast cancer have no symptoms. This is why regular breast cancer screening is so important!
To learn more about the Connecticut Early Detection and Prevention Program please click on the image below.
| Drive-Through Canton Flu Shot Clinic |
Flu season is fast approaching!
UConn Health will hold two convenient drive-through flu shot clinics at our UConn Health location at 117 Albany Turnpike in Canton. The clinics will take place on Saturday, October 23rd and 30th, from 9 am–12 pm. Patients are required to register in advance for their flu shot appointment. Schedule an appointment by clicking on the image below.
| Environmental Walk & Talk at Pollinator Pathway in Canton October 16th |
I will be hosting an Environment Walk and Talk at Canton's Pollinator Pathway on Saturday, October 16th, 2021 at 9 a.m., and I hope you can join me! Please see the flyer below for more details.
| State Representative...or...U.S. Representative |
My office often receives emails and calls on issues that, unfortunately, I can't help with because they are either a town issue or a federal issue. Here's a handy chart for the differences between my office and that of our Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.
We are both here to help, but in different ways.
For instance, if you need help with your passport, that's Rep. Hayes' department. But, if you need help getting the state road outside your home checked to see if it needs paving, that's me. Or if it were an neighborhood street, that's your town's department.
I serve as part of a part-time citizen legislature. Rep. Hayes is a part of the full-time Congress. The difference there is she serves in session more than we do, but we are both available to our constituents to help them solve challenges or get answers year round.
| Hispanic Heritage Month Highlight |
The appointment of Dr. Miguel Cardona to Secretary of Education was a huge accomplishment for Connecticut and the Latino community, but we're not stopping there! With legislation like SB 1022, House Democrats are fighting for Latino representation in our schools and beyond.
