- test-neighbhorhood@test.highlandparkpa.com

Thank you
by Joanne 24 Mar '20

24 Mar '20

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." — Mark Twain

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In need of a small desk?
by Tricia Ruggeri 24 Mar '20

24 Mar '20

I had a change of heart awhile back and purchased a Micke Desk in White from Ikea. It’s completely unopened and in the box. Asking $45. We can figure out a safe way for pick-up. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/micke-desk-white-30213076/

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Face Masks: Know BEFORE you sew
by Lauren Sims 24 Mar '20

24 Mar '20

*"Charity is giving people what they need to get instead of what you want to give."* The urge to help in times of crisis is powerful and wonderful. If a health care worker directly requests a homemade face mask, *make her one by all means.* *However, be aware that many health care workers in our area are actively avoiding homemade cloth masks. *Don't be offended. Here's the reason why: A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers <https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577> "Laboratory tests showed the penetration of particles through the cloth masks to be very high *(97%)* compared with medical masks (44%) (used in trial) and 3M 9320 N95 (<0.01%), 3M Vflex 9105 N95 (0.1%).... *The physical properties of a cloth mask, reuse, the frequency and effectiveness of cleaning, and increased moisture retention, may potentially increase the infection risk for HCWs.* The virus may survive on the surface of the facemasks,29 <https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577#ref-29> and modelling studies have quantified the contamination levels of masks.30 <https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577#ref-30> ." *Instead, here are three ideas that will help give a boost to ALL health care workers:* 1) If you can, give blood! https://www.vitalant.org/Home.aspx 2) Pool your resources with friends to support health care workers AND your local restaurants at the same time: order takeout for 20-30 people to be sent to your neighborhood hospital. 3) Follow Valerie Sweeney's lead in her email "Medical professionals and PPE" and try some local advocacy to help track down medically approved personal protective equipment. *Thank you for being great neighbors.* Lauren

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Stress reduction resources
by Diane Dean 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

Hello Neighbors! I hope everyone is well and practicing self-care as best as you can at such unpredictable times. I wanted to pass along this resource to help manage stress around COVID19. virusanxiety.com I also wanted to remind or inform you that I have been a registered nurse and licensed counselor all of my adult career (20+years) and have a practice right here in highland park. Currently I am accepting new clients and take Highmark and UPMC policies (other than Medicaid and Medicare policies and a few odd policies). I am currently offering user-friendly virtual sessions until we are through this trying situation. Please email me for information or to schedule a time to meet! Be safe and well. Diane

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Free jumbo coloring/sticker books
by Pam&Mark 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

A few pages have been done, but there are still more than enough to entertain little hands.

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Offering an Alternative "Work-from-home"
by BM Val 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

Thank you neighbors! The unit has been rented. Stay safe. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <neighborhood-owner(a)highlandparkpa.com> Date: Sat, Mar 21, 2020 at 9:50 AM Subject: Your message to Neighborhood awaits moderator approval To: <hpneighborhoodgirl(a)gmail.com> Your mail to 'Neighborhood' with the subject Offering an Alternative "Work-from-home" Is being held until the list moderator can review it for approval. The reason it is being held: Post to moderated list Either the message will get posted to the list, or you will receive notification of the moderator's decision. If you would like to cancel this posting, please visit the following URL: https://mail.highlandparkpa.com/mailman/confirm/neighborhood/b1c66e1f214dfd…

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rainbows in windows
by Kate H 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

Hi neighbors! I saw a few posts about this from folks who live in the UK, but I thought it might be fun here. Plus, the illustrator Wendy Macnaughton talked about it today on her daily instagram drawing lesson. *The idea is to put up rainbow drawings in windows for children (and grown-ups) to spot and enjoy as they venture out for walks and exercise*. My son and I made one today! Also, if you're not yet watching Mo Willems lunchtime doodles (on Youtube) and Wendy MacNaughton (on Instagram @wendymac) and you have kids that like art and picture books, I highly recommend. They are fun and entertaining and thoughtful and sweet all at once. Take care, Kate -- *Kate Harris*

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Food Donations for Seniors
by Highland Park Pittsburgh, PA 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

My front porch is a neighborhood donation drop-off for food donations for Vintage. They are looking for non-perishables, in particular breakfast items (such as cereal & oatmeal), soups, and canned fruit/fruit cups - - they take any size but prefer single-sized portions. Giant sized packages (a la Costco) they have less need for. Things dropped on my porch this week will be delivered Friday, but I will continue taking donations after that, too. 1315 N. Sheridan Ave. Thank you! Stephanie Walsh HPCC President -- *Highland Park Community Council* Visit our website by clicking here. <https://hpccpgh.org/>

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Bird Sighting: Rufous-Sided Towhee
by RichSki 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

For those of you "cooped up" at home, some bird watching might be fun. Seen in our aspen tree at Jackson and Euclid this morning, a pair of Rufous-Sided Towhees. They look like skinny, small robins, but with white on breast, and like to flick their white tail feathers and rummage through leaves on the ground.

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Regarding cloth masks from a physician
by Lena Makaroun 23 Mar '20

23 Mar '20

Dear neighbors, There has been a bit of back and forth on this forum lately, including a recent article shared reporting on a study comparing cloth masks to standard disposable medical masks. It is indisputable that cloth are not as good as disposable medical masks. *However, while I desperately hope that this will not be the case, we may be facing a situation in the near future where healthcare and other at risk workers are confronted with the choice of cloth mask or NO mask*. This situation has NOT been studied, and I guarantee most in this situation would prefer a cloth mask to no mask at all. Indeed, many hospitals and health systems, including most recently the Harvard medical system, are adding cloth masks to their list of requested donations (in addition to N95s, face shields, surgical masks, etc). Now, the above is relevant to healthcare workers who are facing very high risk and may not have adequate protection if supplies run out (which again, hopefully we may still be able to avoid). While healthcare workers receive training on how to appropriately don and doff masks and other PPE, I am increasingly seeing members of the public wearing masks. Though this is not recommended if you are feeling healthy currently, I want to share some important basics of safe mask use if you are choosing to wear one -- which would also be critical for cloth masks: 1. Only use the straps to apply and remove the mask, rather than touching the mask itself. 2. DO NOT touch the outside of the mask at any time while wearing it. If you do, consider your hands contaminated and immediately perform hand hygiene. 3. Masks should NOT be reworn between multiple potential exposure situations. After you have worn the mask, appropriately remove touching only the straps, and then place in washer if cloth. Dispose if disposable. Perform hand hygiene. 4. NEVER pull the mask down over your nose while wearing -- you have just contaminated yourself. I want to reiterate -- if you have any surgical, N95 or other masks right now, hospitals are taking donations and these will be highly needed by all working in healthcare settings (not just doctors and nurses -- the physical therapists, janitors, respiratory therapists -- it's a huge team!). But if you have the time, skill and desire to make cloth masks, thank you for doing that, and know that if a time comes when they are the only option, they will be used (following the appropriate guidance as above to keep as safe as possible). Lastly, I fully agree with the three ideas Lauren posted about how to help -- blood donations, order take out from restaurants, and pressure our representatives to provide adequate PPE to healthcare workers (as well as increasing hospital capacity), in addition to the much needed economic stimulus package. Thanks to this community for clearly and thoughtfully trying to do the right thing and help each other. It is really inspiring. All the best, Lena "I fundamentally believe that hope is more the consequence of action than its cause. It seems to me you have two choices in this life -- you can be a fatalistic spectator, or you can engage and produce hope. If those are the two choices, there is really only one choice." -- David Cole, National Legal Director ACLU

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