|
News & Features
From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 11.05.09 edition.
Flu
shots at health fair
By J.P. Crumrine, News
Editor
The
Idyllwild HELP Center is holding a community services event and Family
Health and Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at
Idyllwild School. This is the ninth fair, which has been a local fall
event since 2001.
“We are very pleased with the turnout at our health fairs. Last
year … the turnout was the best it has ever been. This year, we are
hoping for the same turnout,” said Karen Patterson, executive director.
She and Colleen Manchee, the HELP Center’s client services
administrator, organized this year’s fair.
Free seasonal influenza vaccinations will be available on a first-come
basis throughout the day. As of Sunday, Nov. 1, Dr. Richard Goldberg,
who arranged for the vaccines, had not been notified whether the swine
flu (H1N1) vaccines would be available; but 200 doses of the seasonal
flu vaccine will be.
This year, Goldberg has some special assistance giving the flu
injections. Riverside County 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone, a
former pharmacist, will be at the fair from 10 a.m. to noon giving
inoculations.
“The seasonal flu vaccines are the inactivated version,” Goldberg
stressed. “There is no live virus, consequently, there is no risk of
getting the flu from the shot.”
Health care tests or readings such as blood pressure, visual acuity,
blood sugar and HIV will be available throughout the day. In addition,
many other health care vendors will present information on a variety of
useful subjects such as Riverside County’s 2-1-1 service, cancer
society, dental care, Braille and developmental disabilities.
“I’m really excited about the 2-1-1 information,” Manchee said
enthusiastically. “You can call them for social service information.
For example, if you dial 2-1-1, ask about food assistance and give them
your zip code, they’ll get you in touch with local agencies such as the
HELP Center or Hemet’s Community Pantry.”
Other complementary services will include someone from Jazzercise, the
Idyllwild Water District and Starbuck’s coffee, thanks to Janice
Coopersmith, Manchee said.
One way to contribute to the health fair is by donating a pint of
blood, according to Manchee. Lifestream is providing its services to
collect any blood donations. Monetary donations will go to the HELP
Center’s winter programs.
Jesse Chestnut, a registered nurse, is returning to do diabetes
testing, to help interpret the results, and to discuss the disease and
what people can do about it.
“She’s really wonderful,” both Goldberg and Manchee said.
The California Wellness Foundation [TCWF] is helping to underwrite the
Idyllwild health fair. This is the third year of a three-year grant to
assist in providing these health care services.
TCWF was created in 1992 as an independent, private foundation. Its
mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making
grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention
programs.
With the grant funds, the HELP Center may assist individuals without
health insurance to obtain the following services: dental, physical
therapy, pharmaceuticals, vision testing and chiropractic.
Click
here
to try an Online Subscription to the
Town Crier weekly newspaper
FREE for TWO FULL MONTHS!
Web Site designed by the Idyllwild Town Crier
© 1995-2008 by Idyllwild Publications
WEBMASTER
|
