By J.R. TIDWELL / Editor

Senior Connection in Clanton is hosting Men’s Health Week June 10-16 in conjunction with the Alabama Hospital Association’s week of health screenings.

There will be a different program related to men’s health Monday through Friday that week. You do not have to be a member of Senior Connection to attend any of the week’s events.

“We want to make a big deal out of it for the guys,” said Senior Connection director Vanessa McKinney.

The week will kick off on June 10 with health screenings and information from Brookwood/Shelby health systems at 10 a.m.

Central Alabama Electric Co-op CEO Tom Stackhouse will be the guest speaker.

The American Red Cross will have a blood drive on June 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“That will be great,” McKinney said. “We would love for people to get in touch with the Red Cross before that. People should be getting their emails. We are just the venue.”

St. Vincent’s Chilton will be holding free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood screenings on June 12 from 10 a.m. until noon. The screening is meant to test for prostate cancer.

“It’s a simple blood test,” McKinney said.

June 13 will feature an event sponsored by Homestead Hospice called Memory Care Café from 1-2 p.m.

“Memory Care Café is for dementia caregivers, for them to get together and talk about the care they give their loved ones,” McKinney said. “There are many diseases under that umbrella.”

The week will culminate with a cookout lunch for the guys on June 14 at 11 a.m. in celebration of Father’s Day. Fathers and grandfathers will eat free, while lunch for everyone else will be $3.

“We are going to cook out a bunch of hamburgers (with sides),” McKinney said. “It will be a good celebration for Father’s Day.”

Senior Connection will also be hosting its annual baked potato bar lunch fundraiser on June 12. The cost is $7 and includes a baked potato with all the trimmings, a homemade dessert and a drink.

“We have been doing it about four years now, and it is always a hit,” McKinney said. “It has been a good fundraiser for us.”