Annual Family Wellness Fair set for May 14 at Veterans Memorial Hospital

The 17th annual Family Wellness Fair will be held Wednesday, May 14 from 3:30 to 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 from all 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.

SHUTTLE SERVICE
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 Wellness Fair. The shuttle will travel from Veterans Memorial Hospital to the St. Patrick School parking lot every 15 minutes. The shuttle will also be available to pick up and drop off visitors at their vehicles parked between those two locations. 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 Tae Kwon Do demonstrations and Power Yoga/Sculp demonstrations held in the hospital's 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 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,  Allamakee County FSA, Alzheimer’s Association, ASAP,  Mayo Health System Waukon Clinic, Families First Counseling, Gundersen Eye Clinic, Gundersen Waukon Clinic, Hartig Drug, Family Services Family Education, Helping Services for NE Iowa, Life Serve Blood Center, Saint Jude Hospice, NEICAC Early Childhood Programs, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, Northgate Care Center, Northeast Iowa  Area Agency on Aging, SASC Gambling Treatment Program, TASC, Thornton Manor and Thornton Heights, Waukon and Postville Good Samaritan Center, Village Creek Bible Camp, WIC Clinic-Clayton County VNA, Waukon Park and Recreation/Waukon Aquatic Center and the Waukon Wellness Center.

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,  mini-stress tests, 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 cost.
New this year, the Speech Therapy Department will be giving free hearing screenings for children and adults. This will take place in the Healthy Lifestyles Rehabilitation Center. Tours of the new CT Machine and Room at Veterans Memorial Hospital will also be offered. Plus, the nutrition staff will be offering a hands-on challenge entitled “The 1800 Calorie Diet” in addition to providing healthy summer snacks throughout the evening.
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.

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 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 2014. 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.
The 17th annual Family Wellness Fair 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 any additional information, see the advertisement on Page 4A of this week's issue of The Standard or contact Erin Berns, Public Relations Director at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.