Health fair attendance steady this year

While attendance figures for Saturday's health fair may not be available for some time, organizers said attendance was steady this year.

The fair is a perennial draw, in part because of reduced rates offered for things like a health profile and recommended screenings, and in part because of numerous booths representing community activities. Last year's events drew between 500 and 600 adults and children to the fair. A count of returned free entry forms for an annual raffle show at least 300 had attended this year's fair, though attendance in the raffle isn't required. A more accurate count could be determined from the number of screenings participants underwent, though those figures won't be available for some time, according to Kris Reed, who helped organize the health fair this year.

Tables lined the inside of the Nolan Center Saturday, with booths ranging from health-oriented issues like a Youth Court initiative to curb teen drinking featuring goggles simulating the effects of alcohol, to community-oriented groups like the library and churches like the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

For vendors, like the Wrangell Early Childhood Coalition, the fair represents an invaluable opportunity to gather information for planning programs to target community needs, said Krissy Smith.

"It's a way for us to help educate the community," she said. "We're also trying to figure out how many three- to five-year-olds are in town."

That number is important because the Coalition aims to get younger children ready for school. The coalition provides pre-school and daycare scholarships, through supplies and training. The program recently awarded the library a grant to obtain books aimed at improving childhood literacy, for example.

"Our main goal is to get all kids ready for kindergarten," Smith said.

The Youth Court display, with its dizzying goggles, was aimed at raising awareness surrounding the issue of juvenile alcoholism, said Dorthea Rooney. That's because a large number of juveniles who end up in the court do so on driving or alcohol infractions, Rooney said.

"We want to give information to have a discussion," about the issue, she said. "The effects of alcohol on a teenage mind are totally different than on an adult mind."

Awareness might lead, in turn, to different choices, Rooney added.

"If you get 'em while they're young you can turn 'em away from drinking," she said.

Other booths, like a table featuring staff members for Airlift Northwest, seemed a little more business-like in nature. The company made a return this year to the health fair, and at least one person was excited about the prospects of a legislative change that would allow Airlift Northwest to once again offer a membership program, which was disallowed last year by the Division of Insurance.

"We love to support Wrangell," said Julie Anderson, a flight nurse with the company. "Airlift Northwest has been serving Southeast for over 30 years."

Participant Tedi Sims said she comes to the health fair, like the vendors and those who man booths, for information.

"I'm here to get the latest health issues," she said.

Marisa Fulgham got a standard health profile performed at a steep discount.

"I came to get my blood drawn and check out the booths," she said.

While Fulgham came primarily for the savings, she enjoyed the range of information available.

"It's still cool to check stuff out," she said.

She mentioned the Southeast Regional Health Coalition booth specifically.

"It was neat to see the seal oil," she said.