Family Wellness Fair set for May 9 at Veterans Memorial Hospital

The 21st annual Family Wellness Fair is scheduled to be held Wednesday, May 9 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Health testing, exhibits and activities will all be providing a complete evening of entertainment and education for families of all ages. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event which is offered in conjunction with the end of the annual Live Healthy Iowa Community Wellness Challenge.

EXHIBITORS
Over 40 exhibitors will have tables on display at the Wellness Fair providing demonstrations, games and crafts for the entire family. To date, the exhibitors include: Waukon Lions Club “Iowa Kid Sight” free vision screenings for children, Allamakee County Conservation Board, Allamakee County Extension,  Allamakee Substance Abuse Prevention,  The Alzheimer’s Association, Mayo Health System Waukon Clinic, Gundersen Eye Clinic, Gundersen Waukon Medical Clinic, Families First Counseling, Helping Services for Youth & Families, MOSAIC, NEICAC Early Childhood Programs, NEICAC Housing Department, NEICAC Earl Public Transit, NICC, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, Northgate Care Center, Northeast Iowa  Area Agency on Aging, TASC, Thornton Manor and Thornton Heights, Waukon and Postville Good Samaritan Center, Village Creek Bible Camp, Clayton County VNA-WIC, Riverview Center, St. Croix Hospice, Waukon Dental, Waukon Park and Recreation/Waukon Aquatic Center and the Waukon Wellness Center, and the new providers at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Monona Clinic.

ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment for the evening will include special appearances by “Klyde Thinger” the Clown, plus a new balloon artist, Mike Chapman, will carry on the talent and tradition of Paul Kammarmeyer, who brought fun and excitement to the wellness fair for over a decade. Kammarmeyer, more popularly known as “Greenie, the Balloon Artist,” lost his battle to lung cancer caused by radon in his home at the end of 2017.  In his honor, a special radon educational display and even radon kits will be offered for sale at a very reasonable price by the Allamakee County Environmental Health Department.

In addition, a Waukon Fire Department fire truck and Veterans Memorial Hospital ambulance will be parked in the front entrance to the hospital for children to view.  Face painting will again be offered this year. Many new youth games, such as a bean bag toss, a hula hoop contest and a youth fitness challenge, will all offered. Child car seat checks will also be offered by certified professionals who will be located at the shipping/receiving entrance to the hospital.

Also new this year, everyone attending the fair will be invited to disinfect their cell phone with the new PhoneSoap machine located at the main entrance of the hospital.

HEALTH FAIR
Veterans Memorial Hospital staff will be on hand to perform a number of free health tests. Blood pressure testing, grip strength testing and children’s reach game, core strengthening, O2 saturation and carbon monoxide testing plus the effects of smoking, diabetes and blood sugar testing, hemoglobin testing, body fat testing, and chair massages and reflexology will all be available and performed free of charge.

Again this year, Veterans Memorial Hospital staff will be demonstrating and instructing the new “Hands Only” CPR that can effectively be used by anyone, on anyone who has a witnessed cardiac arrest. Wallet cards will be handed out to everyone for quick reference on this new, simple, two-step CPR procedure. Information on cancer and cancer prevention will also be available at the fair as well as information on medical advance directives.

New this year, a youth fitness challenge will be offered, a hula hoop contest, a bean bag toss plus information on memory and technology. Of special interest is the option of Vitamin D testing.  This test does not require fasting and will be offered to everyone in attendance for a fee.

REFRESHMENTS AND DOOR PRIZES
The Veterans Memorial Hospital Nutrition Services Department will be providing healthy snacks and drinks throughout the evening.

Over 100 door prizes will be given away that night. All visitors to the Family Wellness Fair are eligible to win just by signing in at the registration table as they enter the hospital. Names will be drawn throughout the evening with all winners having their choice of door prizes.

LIVE HEALTHY IOWA PRIZES
Veterans Memorial Hospital will also be awarding prizes at the Wellness Fair to all those in Allamakee and northern Clayton counties that participated in the Live Healthy Iowa 10 week wellness challenge in 2018. In order to claim a participation prize at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Family Wellness Fair, Live Healthy Iowa participants are asked to present their access card at the receptionist desk during the fair. Personalized participant access cards can be found by going to the Live Healthy Iowa website at www.livehealthyiowa.org and under the participant’s profile picture on their dashboard, clicking on the 2018 box at the bottom left of the profile section. The card can then be printed and brought in to redeem the prizes.

The 21st annual Family Wellness Fair, held Wednesday, May 9 from 3:30-6:30 p.m., is a community-wide event offering families of all ages a night of entertainment and education about the resources available to them. This fun-filled family event is free and open to all members of the community of any age.   For additional information, contact Erin Berns, Public Relations Director at Veterans Memorial Hospital, at 563-568-3411.