As part of Indiana’s “Arts in the Parks” celebration, plein air painter Tamara Dubin Brown will visit Spring Mill State Park on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Brown will engage visitors with outdoor painting demonstrations inspired by the park’s caves and its Pioneer Village. She will share information about plein air painting, discuss landscapes, and draw attention to the park’s special scenery.

From 9 to 11:30 a.m., Brown will paint at Twin Caves. From noon to 2:30 p.m., she will be at Lakeview Activity Center for a hands-on watercolor activity with the public. From 3 to 5 p.m. she will paint at the Pioneer Village.

Through an Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) grant, Brown is painting on location at six state parks in 2016. This event is a part of the Arts in the Parks Series, a partnership between DNR and the IAC to celebrate Indiana’s bicentennial and the Indiana State Parks’ centennial.

A list of other Arts in the Parks events is at stateparks.IN.gov/8423.htm.

Park admission during the event is $7 per in-state vehicle and $9 per out-of-state vehicle.

Spring Mill State Park (stateparks.IN.gov/2968.htm) is at 3333 State Road 60 East, Mitchell, 47446.

The American Red Cross supports 9/11 Day by offering the community an opportunity to honor those who lost their lives and the heroes who responded following the tragic events of Sept.11.

Two ways to participate in 9/11 Day are to volunteer or donate blood or platelets with the Red Cross and help ensure blood is available for patients in need.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Each year tens of millions of Americans and people around the world observe the anniversary of 9/11 by performing good deeds that help people and communities in need.

9/11 Day was launched in 2002 as an annual day of service to honor the victims and heroes of Sept. 11. Since then, the observance has evolved into the largest annual day of charitable engagement in the U.S. and was designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance by the U.S. Congress in 2009.

Jay S. Winuk, co-founder of 9/11 Day, lost his brother Glenn in the Sept. 11 attacks. Glenn J. Winuk, an attorney with the law firm Holland & Knight in downtown Manhattan, served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT for almost 20 years. After helping evacuate the Holland & Knight offices where he was a partner, he raced to the nearby World Trade Center’s south tower to participate in the rescue efforts. He died in the line of duty when that tower collapsed – a first response medical kit was found by his side.

“The growth of this observance from a grassroots initiative into the nation’s largest day of charitable engagement speaks directly to the true compassionate nature of millions of Americans and our shared desire to focus on our common humanity,” said Jay S. Winuk. “With its engagement in 9/11 Day, the Red Cross will make a significant impact, and we’re confident that blood donors, volunteers and organizations from coast-to-coast will answer this call for help while honoring the heroes of 9/11.”

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, so regular donations are needed. Blood and platelet donors of all types are urged to give.

“The Red Cross is proud to support 9/11 Day and empower members of our communities to give blood and volunteer to commemorate this anniversary while making a profound contribution to community preparedness,” said Donna M. Morrissey, director of national partnerships, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “Giving the gift of life to someone else is a way to continue the healing process in the face of tragic circumstances most Americans couldn’t imagine before that day.”

Those who would like to observe 9/11 Day by donating blood or platelets are encouraged to make an appointment to give at one of the following locations:

• Central Christian Church, 303 Buchanan Drive Lawrenceville, IL 62439
• 9/8/2016: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Columbus Blood Donation Center, 931 Repp Dr. Columbus, IN 47201
• 9/9/2016: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Ivy Tech Community College, 4475 Central Ave. Columbus, IN 47203
• 9/8/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Hope Moravian Church, 202 Main St. Hope, IN 47246
• 9/12/2016: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Johnson County Public Library, 401 State St. Franklin, IN 46131
• 9/12/2016: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Walmart Greenwood, 1133 N. Emerson Rd. Greenwood, IN 46143
• 9/10/2016: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• 9/7/2016: noon – 6 p.m.
• 9/8/2016: noon – 6 p.m.
• 9/9/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• 9/10/2016: 8 a.m. – noon
• 9/15/2016: noon – 6 p.m.
• Stonecroft Health Campus, 363 South Fieldstone Dr. Bloomington, IN 47404
• 9/6/2016: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Ivy Tech Community College, 200 Daniels Way Bloomington, IN 47404
• 9/7/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Sam’s Club Bloomington, 3205 State Road 45 Bloomington, IN 47403
• 9/9/2016: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Alpha Phi, 908 East Third St. Bloomington, IN 47406
• 9/12/2016: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Indiana University Cyberinfrastructure Building, 2709 East 10th St. Bloomington, IN 47408
• 9/14/2016: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Indiana University Health Bloomington, 601 West Second Street Bloomington, IN 47403
• 9/15/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Beechwood Christian, 8535 West Highway 56 French Lick, IN 47432
• 9/7/2016: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

About 9/11 Day

9/11 Day is the largest annual day of charitable engagement in the United States. Each year tens of millions of Americans and countless others throughout the world observe September 11 by performing good deeds that help others. The goal of 9/11 Day is to keep alive the spirit of unity and compassion that arose in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, providing a positive, helpful way for people to annually remember and pay tribute to the 9/11 victims, and honor those that rose up in service in response to the attacks. The organizers of 9/11 Day encourage everyone to observe 9/11 this year by putting aside their differences, if any, joining together to help those most in need, and working more closely to make our world better and more peaceful. 911day.org

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has awarded nearly $150,000 worth of overdose reversal kits to local health departments in 20 Indiana counties to help prevent fatal opioid overdoses.

More than 3,400 kits containing naloxone hydrochloride, also known by the trade name Narcan®, will be distributed among the 20 counties. Naloxone hydrochloride is a medication that is proven to be a safe and effective way to quickly reverse the life-threatening effects of opioid overdose.

“We have seen the toll that the national opioid epidemic has taken on individuals, their families and their communities,” said State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. “These rescue kits will give local health departments the tools they need to protect lives in their communities and will give individuals struggling with substance use disorder the second chance they need to get on a path to recovery.”

In 2010, Indiana saw 54 deaths caused by heroin overdose. In 2014, there were 170 heroin-related deaths, 452 opioid deaths and 2,822 non-fatal drug poisoning-related emergency department visits due to opioid overdoses. Other opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and other prescription painkillers add to this number.

The goal of the award is to expand the distribution of naloxone kit programs across Indiana and to increase education about the state law that provides immunity for lay responders to carry and administer the lifesaving medication.

Counties were selected based on criteria outlined in a request for proposals. The recipients are:

• Boone
• Clark
• Clinton
• Dearborn
• Delaware
• Fayette
• Fountain/Warren
• Franklin
• Hendricks
• Henry
• Howard
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Madison
• Marion
• Monroe
• Randolph
• Ripley
• Scott
• Washington

In addition to providing naloxone kits to the counties mentioned above, ISDH offers a website where people can locate naloxone kits, and entities such as pharmacies, hospitals, nonprofits and local health departments can register as naloxone providers. To find a naloxone dispenser near you, or to register as a dispenser, visit www.optin.in.gov.

For information on treatment for substance use disorder, visit the Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction website at http://www.in.gov/fssa/dmha.