Veterans Memorial Hospital to host Family Wellness Fair May 8

The 16th annual “Family Wellness Fair” will be held Wednesday, May 8 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.  Health testing, exhibits and activities will provide a complete evening of entertainment and education for families of all ages. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event, sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital, and held in conjunction with the end of the Live Healthy Iowa Community Wellness Challenge.
With the limited parking available in the hospital’s main lot, a free Shuttle Service by NEICAC Transit will be picking up and dropping off visitors to the fair every 15 minutes from the St. Patrick Church parking lot. This service will be available from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., during the entire wellness fair.

ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment for the evening will include musicians and vocalists from Waukon High School in the main entrance area, and Tae Kwon Do demonstrations held in the Healthy Lifestyles Center. Special appearances will be made by “Klyde Thinger” the Clown, plus balloon artist and professional medical representative Paul Kammarmeyer will be on site making his creative balloon creations for the children attending the fair. In addition, a Waukon Fire Department fire truck and a hospital ambulance will be parked in the front entrance to the hospital for children to view.

EXHIBITORS
Over 40 exhibitors will have tables on display 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 Extension, American Red Cross, Allamakee County FSA, Alzheimer’s Association, ASAP, Iowa Hospice, Mayo Health System Waukon Clinic, Gundersen Lutheran Eye Clinic, Gundersen Lutheran Waukon Clinic, HAWC, Helping Services for Northeast Iowa, NEICAC Early Head Start, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, Northgate Care Center, Northland Agency on Aging, SASC Gambling Treatment Program, TASC,  Thornton Manor and Thornton Heights, Waukon Dental, Waukon, Postville and West Union Good Samaritan Center, Village Creek Bible Camp, WIC Clinic-Clayton County VNA, Waukon Park and Recreation/Waukon Aquatic Center and the Waukon Wellness Center.

CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY CHECKS
Children’s car seats may be checked at the fair for proper installation and usage. These checks will be performed by the trained Veterans Memorial Hospital car seat technicians.  These car seat checks will take place in the loading dock area, just past the main entrance on the east side 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, hand/eye coordination testing,  O2 saturation and carbon monoxide testing and smoking cessation, diabetes and blood sugar testing, and chair massages will all be available and performed free of charge. Cholesterol tests with immediate results will be available for a minimal fee.
New this year, the Rehabilitation Department will be applying free Kinesiotape applications to anyone interested in trying it. The Kinesiotape is commonly used in sports injuries and was used significantly at the Olympics. All of the therapists at Veterans Memorial Hospital have recently been trained in the use of kinesiotape on the entire body.
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.
The Veterans Memorial Hospital Nutrition Services department will be providing healthy snacks throughout the evening including a “make your own natural soda” option, plus healthy brownies and chips.

NUTRITION PRESENTATIONS
The dietitians at Veterans Memorial Hospital will be giving nutrition presentations in the ICN Conference Room throughout the entire fair. The following topics will be presented at these times:
3:45 p.m. - Kids-Play With Your Food!
4:15 p.m. - Simple Smoothies
4:45 p.m. - Quick and Healthy Meals
5:15 p.m. - Kids-Play With Your Food!
5:45 p.m. - Simple Smoothies
6:15 p.m. - Quick and Healthy Meals.
All those attending the fair are welcome to attend any number of these presentations that they wish.

DOOR PRIZES
Over 100 door prizes will be given away throughout the evening. All visitors to the Spring Into 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 course of 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 who participated in the Live Healthy Iowa 10-week wellness challenge in 2013. In order to claim a participation prize, Live Healthy Iowa participants are asked to present their access card at the receptionist desk during the fair. The access cards can be found by going to the Live Healthy Iowa website at www.livehealthyiowa.org and under the participant’s “my dashboard” tab, clicking on “create access card.” The card can then be printed and brought in to redeem the prize.
For any additional information, contact Erin Berns, Public Relations Director at Veterans Memorial Hospital, at 563-568-3411.