Regional Flood Control District

All Washed-Up in Pima County

by Ann Donohue
Pima County RFCD

On some beautiful, early Saturday mornings, a small but hearty band of Pima County Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) employees – along with friends, family members and a few very happy dogs -- have gathered to collect trash out of one of the many washes in our community. The idea of RFCD Senior Hydrologist Suzie Bohnet was that staff volunteers gather one Saturday a month to, as Suzie put it, “simply and safely collect trash. Clearing these washes holds many benefits for our community. In a few hours we can remove unsightly trash from some neighborhood washes, enhance the work of our department to keep any flow of water unobstructed, and send a message that even small groups of people can truly make a difference. And we are outdoors in the fresh air enjoying these beautiful Tucson mornings together.”

These “Wash Ups”, as Bohnet has dubbed them, have turned into department get-togethers that are fun, productive and very satisfying.  RFCD Director and Chief Engineer Suzanne Shields commends this project and acknowledges its value as a flood control measure and a community awareness undertaking.  She thanked the volunteers for, as she put it, “Encouraging our community to see the value of keeping washes open and flowing.”  Washes are the generally dry stream beds that become important channels for moving waters out of neighborhoods during storms and the Southwest’s notorious monsoon rains. 

Sites selected are small stretches of waterways that have not yet been scheduled for cleanup but where some trash has accumulated.  Before and After shots indicate the kinds of projects Bohnet has targeted and the very satisfying results.   The bags are picked up from designated spots by RFCD crews on Mondays following the cleanups.

Anyone interested in joining this volunteer Public Works activity is most welcome and can contact Suzie Bohnet at 243-1800 or at Suzie.Bohnet@rfcd.pima.gov.

There will be two more cleanups that people are welcome to join before the Summer heats up:
Saturdays April 4 and May 2.

The group will get back together when the weather cools down, probably October 3, continuing to meet on the first Saturday of the month (barring summer months). A lot can get done in a very few hours.

Health Department

Card Helps Pima County Residents Save on Prescriptions!

It’s been a year since the Pima County Health Department launched the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program. Since that time, a total of 7,155 cards have been registered and 3,673 cards are actively being used.  More than 50% of card holders are receiving savings from the card for an average savings of 17% which works out to an average savings of $9.12 per prescription.

The Pima County Health Department has dedicated time and effort towards distributing this prescription card in Pima County. There have been numerous outreach events that we have participated in to provide the card to community members first hand. We have been able to collaborate with other organizations in Pima County to increase distribution points and reach as many people as possible. We are excited to partner with Tucson Unified School District school nurses, making the card available and distributing it to the students and their families. A few organizations that have partnered with the Pima County Health Department as locations for distribution are the Kino Teen Center, Northwest Neighborhood Center, Pima Council on Aging, Pima Community Access Program, and Community Outreach Program for the Deaf. The outreach and distribution of the card throughout Pima County has been a great experience knowing that we are able to offer our community members the chance to save money on prescription medication. We are committed to continuing our efforts so that everyone can have access to this great program with their own discount card.

It is no secret, we are facing a challenging economy and more than ever, we are all looking for ways to save money-and the discount card can do just that.  The card is free, there are no income requirements, no age limits and one card can be used by the whole family.  Depending upon the prescription, it can even help with pet medications.  A complete list of local participating pharmacies can be found at:
www.pimahealth.org/NACO/PARTICIPATING_PHARMACIES.pdf
Please note that this is a Prescription Discount Card and not medical insurance.

The cards are available in English and Spanish and can be found at a variety of Pima County locations. To find a list of distribution sites, please visit:
www.pimahealth.org/NACO/dirtributionlist.pdf

If you would like to learn more about the Prescription Discount Card please go to:
www.pimahealth.org/naco/NACO_discount_card.html

To participate in the distribution of the Prescription Discount Card please call 520-243-7772 or email at: discountrx@pima.gov

 

 

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