Another Back-to-School Health Fair Readied Students for the School Year
Almost 1,000 backpacks and school supplies were distributed to local children at 5th annual health fair
Tuesday, August 12, 2014: Wenatchee, WA: On Saturday, August 9, Columbia Valley Community Health (CVCH) hosted its fifth annual Back to School Health Fair at its Wenatchee clinic. For the second year, CVCH partnered with the North Central Educational Service District (NCESD) and the United Way of Chelan and Douglas Counties to combine the CVCH health fair with the NCESD’s annual school supply give-away. Click here to see pictures from the event.
This three hour, family-friendly event began in 2010 to celebrate National Health Center Week (August 10 – 16, 2014), a national campaign meant to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s Health Centers.CVCH and its partners provided 965 backpacks and school supplies to children entering grades K – 12. The remaining packs and school supplies will be donated to community resources that serve foster children.
Once they received their backpack and school supply list, they headed across the street to the playground of Columbia Elementary. Students could visit up to twelve CVCH booths, where a CVCH staff member would stamp their event “passport” and give them a school supply based on their grade level.
“Children had to answer a health-related question or complete an educational activity in order to receive their school supply,” said Marlen Mendez, CVCH Clinic Manager and event facilitator. “This put a greater emphasis on health and wellness, not just “free stuff”. Gearing kids up for school is important, but we wanted them to leave with the experience that health and wellness can be fun.”
Click here to see pictures of the 2014 CVCH Back to School Health Fair
In addition to the various CVCH programs, there were 14 community organizations involved including Wenatchee Valley College CAMP, Health Department of Chelan and Douglas Counties, CDI Head Start, Community Action Council, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of NCW, Wenatchee Learns, Wenatchee Valley YMCA, Child Services Association, Columbia Valley Girls on the Run, The Compassionate Friends, Ballard Ambulance and Wenatchee Fire Rescue. Walt from the Wenatchee Wild was also there to pump up the crowd before and during the health fair.
Additional support for the CVCH Back to School Health Fair and the school supply give-away came from North Cascades National Bank, Office Depot, Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary, Ballard Ambulance, NCESD Educational Foundation, the First United Methodist Church of Wenatchee and Avalon Music. Volunteers from the United Way, Youth United, NCESD, Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary and First United Methodist also helped during the event by manning booths and passing out supplies and backpacks.