First ‘Warm for Winter’ giveaway Sept. 28
With cold weather approaching, volunteers are preparing coats, boots, bedding and many other items available free to everyone. The first Warm for Winter giveaway is 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 28, at 900 Boyce Drive in Rhinelander. Events will continue at the former Friendly Village the last Saturday of each month through February 2020. No income limits are required, no questions are asked and there’s no paperwork to fill out, but organizers ask that people bring a bag for their items. Clothing is available in every size and type, for every member of the family. There are even some toys for kids. For more information, contact Jan at 715-362-7157.

Nativity parish to host musician, mission
Internationally known musician and composer Tom Booth is coming to Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Rhinelander to lead a three-day mission beginning with a concert at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29. The mission continues Monday and Tuesday at 6 p.m. All are welcome. Advance concert tickets are $8 for adults, $12 at the door. Students ages 13-18 pay $5; children under 12 are free. A free-will offering dinner will precede the concert at 5:30 p.m. Booth has written numerous songs for prayer, worship, liturgy and personal reflection. He has spent much of his life helping young people and families discover God’s love through music and worship. For tickets and more information, contact the parish at 715-362-3169.

VA offers vets free flu shots
Flu vaccinations are now available for veterans enrolled in VA health care. Vets may request the flu shot at their regularly scheduled VA appointments or can get vaccinated during free walk-in flu shot clinics at the Rhinelander VA Clinic, from 1-3 p.m. each Friday through Nov. 15. No appointment is necessary. Flu shots are safe and will not cause the flu, according to infection control nurse Ann Mattson, RN, at the VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain. Another misconception, Mattson said, is that the flu shot prevents stomach flu. It does not. The flu is a respiratory disease, not a stomach or intestinal ailment. The Rhinelander clinic is located at 639 W. Kemp Street.

Oneida tourism council expands website
All tourism-related businesses in Oneida County are invited to be part of Onenorthwoods.com, the Oneida County Tourism Council’s (OCTC) new website. Chamber of commerce members or not, business that fit into a category of lodging, shopping, dining, attractions or activities are wanted, to make the website the “ultimate resource for travelers” and also Oneida County residents, said OCTC president Krystal Westphal. To get an Oneida County business listed on the website, contact the chamber of commerce nearest to the business’s location. For more information, contact the local chamber of commerce or the OCTC at 800-236-3006.

Emergency preparedness
September is National Preparedness Month and the Oneida county Health Department is taking this opportunity to remind everyone to plan ahead for emergencies. The Department of Homeland Security has a website, www.ready.gov, dedicated to emergency preparedness. Information includes how to prepare family, friends, seniors and pets for a disaster whether at home, work, school or place of worship. Tornadoes, snow and cold, straight-line winds, home fires, power outages, household chemical exposure and active shooters can affect all people living in the Northwoods. Directions for building an emergency kit are available, among other tips, to help people of all ages be ready in the event of disaster. There are only a certain amount of emergency responders, so everyone can lessen the impact of a disaster by being more informed and prepared.