Advertisement
It's a full house this year at the annual Community Health and Care Fair.
This is a once-a-year opportunity for residents short on cash and time to seek health screening for the whole family.
"We have had a tremendous response this year," said Judy Baker, director of the Mogollon Health Alliance and one of the fair's volunteers.
Even organizations not directly health-related benefit from the exposure. The opportunity to tap into local resources such as Habitat for Humanity, the Senior Circle, Kiwanis and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, become available with more awareness.
Since the fair began in 1999, attendance has increased from 450 to 600 visitors.
"We have a great variety of booths covering anything and everything," said Patty Kaufman, volunteer coordinator of RTA Hospice.
Children, especially those from low-income families, often don't receive proper medical attention, but during the fair, children receive free screenings and exams. Parents can take advantage of dental exams, fingerprinting, immunization and nutritional information, physicals -- including heart and lung checkups -- and vision and hearing tests.
Preventive shots -- flu, $20; tetanus, $35; and pneumonia, $40 -- are available on a first-come, first-served basis for the whole family. Medicare and most insurance are accepted.
For a small fee -- $10 for women and $15 for men -- comprehensive metabolic panels (CMP) will be offered, sponsored by the Payson Regional Medical Center. The CMP runs a comprehensive blood test that checks the health of kidneys, liver, electrolyte and acid/base balance, blood sugar and blood protein levels.
Bring current medications. A pharmacist will be on hand to check drug interactions and dispose of expired medication.
Visitors can help by donating nonperishable food, eyeglasses and hearing aids.
The fair will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 4, in the Payson High School old gym (use parking lot off Longhorn Road).
For more information, call (928) 472-2588.
Fair participants include:
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Red Cross
AZPAC AZ Partnership
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Community Emergency Response
Donna Steckal, Ph.D.
Payson Parks & Recreation
New Beginnings
Overeaters Anonymous
Habitat for Humanity
Payson Athletic Club
Payson Community Kids
Meals on Wheels
Mogollon Health Alliance
Payson Womans Club
Rim Country Cancer Support
Care Givers Support Group
Rim Country Optimist
Soroptimist Club
Time Out, Inc.
Veterans Helping Veterans
Betty Pontious, RN
Tammy DeWees, RN
Michael Keith
Liz Summers, DC
Steven Booth, DDS
Lifeline (bone density)
RTA Hospice
Cynthia Booth, M.D.
Miracle Ear (ear check)
Commenting has been disabled for this item.