Winter 2024 Newsletter
Happy New Year, or as my favorite uncle likes to say - congratulations to planet Earth on another successful lap around the sun!
2023 was a great year here at VIM San Diego. We celebrated our 20th anniversary as a non-profit with a luncheon (and thank you again to all of our sponsors, friends, and supporters who came and made it such a wonderful day!)
We also welcomed four new board members, got to test out a new telehealth unit which helped us expand the care we could offer our patients, and had some fun events with UM Chapel of the Valley & Foothills United Methodist churches.
We have some bittersweet news as well. Our beloved CEO, Maureen Hartin, retired at the end of 2023. Maureen joined VIM-SD in 2009, and over the last 14 years has done an amazing job of leading our little free clinic though all of the good and bad times, including Covid-19 and the year that was 2020. She will be much missed, and we wish her a happy and relaxing retirement!
We had a great time and a great turnout at the Foothills United Christmas Marketplace. Board trustee Tim Cajika (right) and Dr. Polster (left) volunteered to man our tree, and Dr. Jassmann played Santa's helper.
Welcome Sonya!
We are excited to introduce our new Executive Director - Sonya Caruso! Sonya comes to us with more than 20 years of experience in non-profit strategic development, and a passion for stewarding non-profits to achieve a greater impact and effectiveness.
Sonya has a Master's degree in Non-Profit Management from the University of Oregon, and a Certification in Fundraising Management (CFRM) from Indiana University.
Sonya’s non-profit experience includes working for organizations like the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the San Diego Museum of Arts, and the Escondido Education Foundation. Sonya is also active within her local philanthropic community in leadership capacity. She currently serves on the honorary and resource committees for the San Diego River Park Foundation.
When she is not working, Sonya enjoys running, yoga and hiking as a key part of her daily lifestyle. She is also Nationally Board Certified as a Health and Wellness Coach with specific expertise on the Blue Zones as she lived for two years with her husband in Sardinia, Italy, land of centenarians. Sonya also loves spending time with her two adventurous boys, ages 15 and 10, and her playful Pug.
Be sure to add scaruso@vim-sandiego.org to your contacts or safe senders list, so you don't miss Sonya's emails!
Winter Health Tips
Southern California may not get the same bitter cold winter weather as places like Maine or Michigan, but we do occasionally see some chilly days and nights. Here are a few tips for staying healthy during the winter months:
Drink water! You may not feel thirsty when it's cold out, but cold and dry weather can suck the moisture right out of you, which means dehydration can sneak up and get its hooks in.
Winterize your house and car. Cover faucets, pack some extra warm clothes in the car, and check your carbon monoxide detectors.
Layer up if you're going to be outside. Multiple layers, especially if you're active outdoors in the winter, mean you can remove layers as you warm up and add them back when you stop moving. This prevents you from getting chilled, which can lead to hypothermia (another sneaky winter hazard).
As usual, the CDC has you covered with a full list of tips for winter safety here.
Another winter hazard is cold and flu season. Cases go up though the holidays and stay up due to colder weather keeping us all indoors. Washing your hands frequently, staying home if you're sick, and wearing a mask if you're having symptoms but can't avoid folks entirely, can all help prevent the spread of colds and flus.
Stay connected!
Follow our Volunteers in Medicine San Diego's Facebook page for current events, clinic updates, volunteer opportunities, health-related news, and much more.
You can also find us on LinkedIn as Volunteers In Medicine San Diego, and now on Instagram as well as vimsandiego.
