I have always avoided

formal discussions of religious issues in this column and leave those

issues for the columnists in the religion section. I have my own religious

beliefs, but the purpose of my column is family and children's issues.

Getting

your child ready for school

We here at the

Health Department hope that our fellow Fayette Countians are enjoying

a wonderful, safe, and exciting summer vacation. Unfortunately, all

summers must make way for fall at some point, and all too soon the school

year approaches.

State

agency addresses mental health issues

The Division of

Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse serves people

of all ages and those with the most severe mental illnesses, mental

retardation and substance abuse problems.

'Light

the Night' walk set for Sept. 22

The Leukemia &

Lymphoma Society's First Annual "Light the Night" Walk will

take place September 22 and organizers are looking for participants

to begin team and individual recruitment efforts now.

'Take

two trees and call me in the morning'

You

won't hear your doctor dispense this prescription, but the Georgia

Forestry Commission wants to advise you that trees and products made

from trees are an important component in many of the pharmaceuticals

and health-related products you use every day.

SRMC

providing free immunizations for children

Southern

Regional Medical Center is partnering with the Clayton County Board

of Health to provide free immunizations and hearing, vision and dental

screenings to area children Thursday, Aug. 2, 6-9 p.m. in the Education

Auditorium at the hospital.

It's

important to understand what's going on

Do you enjoy being

around people as much as you used to?

West

Nile virus found in south Georgia bird

crow infected with West Nile virus was found in Lowndes County, Georgia.

The bird was found by a citizen July 6 and died July 7.

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