The San Diego 31st Street church and the Health and Learning Center of San Diego conducted a health fair in early September. Their main objective was to reach out to the predominately Latino community, offering information on living a healthy lifestyle. The first 100 families participating received free groceries.
Many months of planning went into this event, says Elaine Campbell, coordinator. Several services were provided, including screenings for diabetes, blood pressure, nutrition and body fat. Physicians Joseph Freitas and Collin Ross were on duty for consultation about high blood pressure.
Exhibitors included SAY SAN DIEGO (Social Advocate for Youth), that provides free application assistance for no-cost/low-cost health coverage for children ages 0-19; Southwestern College of Dental Hygiene, which signed up families for free dental service; African-American 5 a Day, with Pastor Morris Woods and his wife, Susan, who usually do four churchwide events and festivals per year.
Flyers for the The Cancer Project were distributed to enable people to register for free cooking classes for cancer prevention and survival. Tracy Childs, a certified TCP instructor, will conduct these classes for eight weeks, beginning January 10, at the Health and Learning Center. Other exhibitors provided information on cancer screening, diabetes, Adventist Health Medical private care, environmental health, lead poisoning prevention, insuring healthy families, and Family Health Centers, presented by Dan Verdugo.
Activities for children included games, Nutrition Olympics, face painting, and healthy refreshments. Even more excitement was generated when a large fire truck appeared and firefighters took both young and old aboard. Officers from the San Diego Police Department were also present.
This health fair, which focused on the body, preceded a "Keeping It Real" seminar, which focused on the soul. Speaker was Jay Winston, senior pastor of the Thirty-First Street church. Working with him was the church's associate pastor, Eric Penick.
