RaeAnn Tucker from the Henry and Stark County Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare Clinics joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the closing of the Primary Care Medical Services in the Colona Clinic, vaccines as infections rise, WIC services remaining available, Toy Safety Month in December, and insurance navigators. Primary Care Medical Services at the Colona Clinic will be closing on December 5, 2025, though public health and WIC services will continue at the same site. Community members are assured a smooth transition as staff move to other First Choice Healthcare clinics in Kewanee and Toulon. Amid rising infections, the health department is offering updated COVID and flu vaccines on a walk-in basis. To schedule a children’s vaccination, call the Kewanee clinic at 309-852-5272 or the Toulon clinic at 309-852-3115. December is National Safe Toys Month, and families are urged to inspect their homes for holiday hazards. Health insurance navigators will be available in Geneseo on December 9th and Colona on December 15th to assist with coverage questions. For more information, visit www.henrystarkhealth.com or connect on their social media platforms.
Primary care services will end at the First Choice Healthcare Colona Clinic on December 5, 2025, as announced by the Henry County Health Department and First Choice Healthcare. Despite this change, public health and WIC services will continue at the 103 1st Street location. Health Department Administrator Duane Stevens expresses gratitude for community support, adding that the decision is part of a wider effort to navigate financial challenges facing rural healthcare. Staff from the Colona clinic will transition to other First Choice locations in Kewanee and Toulon. Patients are assured of a smooth transition to new providers. For details, contact 309-792-4011.
The Henry and Stark County Health Departments, along with First Choice Healthcare’s WIC and Maternal and Child Health teams, are highlighting National Safe Toys and Celebrations Month this December. As holiday festivities ramp up, officials urge families to take extra precautions. Simple measures such as keeping holiday plants and small decorations out of children’s reach, using fire-retardant trees, safeguarding open flames, and choosing age-appropriate toys are crucial for preventing seasonal accidents. Heather Aldred, RN, Maternal and Child Health Supervisor, said, “It’s important to think about safety even during the holidays. Carefully inspecting your home and taking care of any safety hazards can ensure you and your children have a happy, safe holiday season.” For further tips on keeping your celebrations safe, visit www.henrystarkhealth.com or connect on their social media platforms.
The Health Department encourages you to keep these safety tips in mind while preparing for the holidays:
- If you have a real tree, make sure the tree stand is always filled with water so the tree doesn’t dry out and pose an increased fire hazard. If you buy an artificial tree, make sure it is made from fire-retardant material. Make sure the stand is flat on the ground, and decorate the tree to distribute weight.
- Do not leave children alone in a room with lighted candles, matches, lighters, fireplaces, or any other sources of flame or heat.
- Keep decorations out of reach of children and secured to the wall. Any object small enough to fit through a toilet paper tube can obstruct the airway of a child.
- Keep mistletoe, holly berries, and poinsettias out of reach of children, as each is toxic when ingested.
- Closely supervise your child if he or she is helping you decorate, especially when handling lighting, ornaments, and breakable objects.
- Purchase lights with the UL Listed mark, which certifies that the product has been tested to meet safety requirements.
- Make sure your children’s toys are age-appropriate, and the batteries cannot be easily removed. Batteries shaped like disks, or button batteries, pose a choking risk to young children.
- Avoid placing gifts under the tree that contain glass, perfume or cologne, poisonous substances, or sharp materials.
- Keep alcohol out of reach of children. Quickly clean up leftover drinks.
- Dress your child properly for the weather, making sure that their hands, feet, and head are covered.
- Supervise children and make sure they wear the correct safety gear for sledding, skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and other outdoor activities.
The Henry and Stark County Health Departments, along with First Choice Healthcare Clinics, are advising the public to stay proactive as cases of COVID-19, flu, RSV, and the common cold are expected to climb this season. Key tips include frequent handwashing, covering coughs, staying home when feeling ill, and considering mask use in crowds. Residents of Henry and Stark Counties can now access the updated Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for adults at both Kewanee and Toulon clinics. The health departments and First Choice Healthcare are offering these shots on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 4 PM, or by scheduled appointment. Flu vaccinations for adults are also available without an appointment during the same hours, while children’s flu shots, starting at six months old, require booking in advance. To schedule a children’s vaccination, call the Kewanee clinic at 309-852-5272 or the Toulon clinic at 309-852-3115.
Families in Henry, Stark, Marshall, and Putnam Counties can rely on continued support from the local Health Department and First Choice Healthcare’s WIC program. Staff remind residents that WIC agencies remain open, with benefits fully available for use in area stores. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program provides supplemental foods and nutrition education to eligible families—serving pregnant women, infants, children up to age five, and postpartum or breastfeeding women. Participants can receive essentials like milk, formula, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products. The new Illinois WIC EBT Card simplifies the process—offering one card for all household members and reloading benefits every three months after check-ins with staff. In-person appointments have resumed, though online applications are still welcome. Heather Aldred said, “We are so excited about this new WIC EBT Card, sometimes referred to as eWIC. Participants now have the ease of taking their shopping list to the store and then buying the food they need when they need them.” Expanded hours aim to serve working families and schoolchildren more conveniently. Learn more or apply at henrystarkhealth.com or by calling 309-852-5272.
Residents in Henry and Stark Counties looking for health insurance help will have two opportunities this December. Health Insurance Navigators from the Henry and Stark County Health Departments and the Get Covered Illinois Navigator Program will be available to assist at Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo on December 9th from 9 to 11 AM and at the Shell Gas Station in Colona on December 15th from 9 to 11 AM. Navigators can help with comparing plans, understanding benefits, and determining eligibility for financial assistance or special enrollment. More information is available by calling 309-852-5272.
Hammond-Henry Hospital
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
9:00-11:00 am
600 N. College Ave., Geneseo, IL
Shell Gas Station-Colona
Monday, December 15, 2025
9:00-11:00 am
506 1st Ave., Colona
