Boat, snowmobile, camel: Vaccine reaches world’s far corners

Boat, snowmobile, camel: Vaccine reaches world’s far corners

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Boat, snowmobile, camel: Vaccine reaches world’s far corners
By DAVID SHARP – April 7, 2021 1:06 am

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — After enduring 40-knot winds and freezing sea spray, jostled health care providers arrived wet and cold on two Maine islands in the North Atlantic late last month to conduct coronavirus vaccinations.

As they came ashore on Little Cranberry Island, population 65, residents danced with excitement.

“It’s a historic day for the island,” said Kaitlyn Miller, who joined a friend in belting out “I’m not giving away my shot!” from the Broadway show Hamilton when the crew arrived.

Full story

Murray – Does Pete Buttigieg Have a Workday Like This?

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from Offshore: Does Pete Buttigieg Have a Workday Like This?
by Eva Murray – Tuesday, April 6, 2021 8:53 AM

Last Thursday was also the date scheduled for most winter islanders to get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The crew from the Maine Seacoast Mission and the public health nurses were scheduled to fly out to administer the vaccine, but with a rainstorm expected on the planned day, that was a no-go. They scrambled to contact the whole list of people and move the event ahead a day. This change required they get to and from Monhegan by boat Wednesday morning, up the peninsula and over to the airport in Owls Head, and to then make the trip to Matinicus by air to vaccinate roughly 30 grateful people in the afternoon — and to get off the island before being stuck here by weather.

Eva Murray lives, works and writes on Matinicus Island. Full story

Thank you Thursday for Good Shepherd Food Bank

Thank you Thursday for Good Shepherd Food Bank

It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Good Shepherd helps the Mission provide healthy, nutritious food to thousands of people in Washington County. They help us feed people who can’t quite make ends meet. People who make difficult decisions each week or month about what bill to pay: rent, electricity, heat, gas, car repairs, a trip to the doctor, medicine or food.

The caring, capable, and knowledgeable staff at Good Shepherd have provided the support the Mission needs to stock our food pantry, and expand our reach to schools, families, and the elderly.

“Often, when I speak with a Good Shepherd staff member,” said Mission Service Program Director Wendy Harrington, “they thank me for everything my organization and staff do to help feed people in our community.”

The Mission would like to say “thank you” back. Thank you for taking such good care of us and the people we serve.

This is what community looks like.

On the web – https://www.gsfb.org/

Jillian – Witness to Mission Vaccination Crew from Sunbeam Galley

Jillian – Witness to Mission Vaccination Crew from Sunbeam Galley

CHERRYFIELD, ME — The Mission Covid-19 vaccination trips aboard the Sunbeam have a unique hum of excitement. It is my honor to witness it from my little spot in the galley while trying to offer a little nourishment to the hardworking vaccination crew.  

A little white cooler with a bright red lid transports among locations the cherished vials of Moderna vaccine. Everything is centered around this cooler. Handled with deference one would give bone china or an organ meant for transplant, the cooler is whisked through the Sunbeam salon, to-and-from Sharon’s boat office. There vaccine vials are stored in a special medical fridge with its sensors and record keeping.  

While we are underway, the vaccination crew is often huddled, socially distant, double and triple checking numbers: vaccinations available, people signed up, ages, dates and appointment times. Because of time constraints with vaccine transportation, our travel time between islands is also a factor.

The vaccination crew make a lot of phone calls to coordinate it all. They make even more phone calls when the weather or vaccine availability sets up a speed bump.

I’ve seen Mission president, John Zavodny, preparing stacks of vaccination cards given to people once they’ve had their shots.

After an island clinic, Douglas Cornman returns to the Sunbeam with a stack of vaccination forms with information he needs to enter into the national database.

Nurses Sharon Daley and Maureen Giffin wear many separate pairs of blue gloves. They schlep their totes of medical supplies island to island for the pop-up clinics. Their totes are inventoried and replenished often. One tote is clear and holds – among other things – a big round clock that is an indispensable tool for the fifteen-minute wait everyone has after their inoculation.

People are grateful to be vaccinated. They laugh, cry, and dance. They love the “I’ve been vaccinated” stickers. One gentleman who had his first shot was wearing a t-shirt that said simply “vaccinated”. He was all smiles!

Covid Clinic Trips 3 and 4 – Monhegan, Matinicus Islands

Covid Clinic Trips 3 and 4 – Monhegan, Matinicus Islands

NORTHEAST HARBOR, ME — The Mission medical team held back-to-back clinics on Monhegan island (March 3) and Matinicus island (March 4). Sunbeam Captain Mike Johnson, Engineer Storey King, and Steward Jillian, were resting from their second Covid-19 vaccinations, so the medical team traveled to these two islands by means other than aboard the Mission’s boat, Sunbeam.

Monhegan Boat Lines’s Laura B carried the team to-and-from Monhegan. The team was Island Services Director Sharon Daley, RN; Maureen Giffin, RN; Peggy Akers, NP; Island Outreach Director Douglas Cornman, and Mission President John Zavodny.

Forty three people received vaccinations at the Monhegan Community Church and Parsonage. The crew of the Laura B was good enough to hold the boat to allow time for the medical team to finish its work and travel back to the pier aboard a Kubota 4×4.

The following day, the Mission’s old friend, Penobscot Island Air, carried the same team by air to-and-from the Matinicus Island International Air-Strip. The airport is named somewhat tongue-in-cheek. It is a strip of land cut through a grove of pine trees.

The team was also joined again by Boston Globe photographer Erin Clark, and Boston Globe reporter Brian MacQuarrie. Erin’s wonderful photos accompanied Brian’s fine story in the March 9 Boston Globe.

Thirty one people received vaccinations at Matinicus Island School.

President Zavodny produced a video vignette with narration capturing the flavor and highlights of the Monhegan clinic.

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