Health and energy fairs offer public service

• Low cost screenings could save a life

By Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune

File photo - A young Rotary Fair participant demonstrates the health advantages of the hoola hoop.

One fair could help prevent health problems and the other might serve to lighten up energy bills, with both of them happening this weekend in Homer.
Low-cost blood tests and health screenings will be offered by South Peninsula Hospital at the 26th Annual Rotary Health Fair on Saturday at the Homer High School. “Take a Day to Be Well. It’s Your Life” is the theme of the fair, sponsored by Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club in cooperation with South Peninsula Hospital.
Homer Electric Association is offering an energy fair with workshops from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.
“The goal of the Fair is to let our local vendors, who have a great deal of knowledge about energy saving devices, distribute this information to HEA members. Energy conservation is important to HEA and the bottom line is that it can save our members money,” said HEA spokesman Joe Gallagher.

Health fair
A turnout of about 1,000 people attended the event last year, which allowed the hospital to kick off a community health needs assessment survey and gain a substantial number of respondents.
“And this year at the fair, we will release the findings of the community assessment,” said Derotha Ferraro, hospital spokesperson. “We’ll focus on sharing information because so many people participated in the survey.”
The health fair also could save consumers a great deal of money. Many health screenings and services will be offered at the fair, including blood pressure tests, vision tests, hearing tests and balance tests. Over 60 information booths are confirmed for this year’s fair, offering information about health services, senior issues, children’s health, hospice services, substance use, physical therapy, diabetes, weight management, alternative medicine, women’s health and more.
Comprehensive blood analysis is available through the fair for only $35. Additional PSA and TSH tests are available for $30 each.
Those coming for the tests will need to abstain from food and juice. Only water, should be consumed 10-12 hours prior to the test. In all cases prescription medication should be taken and diabetics should not fast.
Free child care is provided at the fair. Used eye glasses will be collected by the Lyons Club and there is a food drive for the Homer Food Pantry, so bring your cans or non-perishable items.

Energy fair
HEA is putting on its first Energy and Conservation Fair at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. The Fair will feature 18 vendors who will be displaying a variety of energy conservation related products including appliances, construction materials, heating sources, lighting options, and alternative energy information.
The Fair will also feature door prizes, popcorn and refreshments.
In addition to the vendor booths, the Fair will include a series of workshops that will focus on weatherization and rebates programs. Representatives from Wisdom and Associates will be conducting workshops on how to make energy efficient upgrades to your home.
The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation will also be conducting workshops on how to take advantage of the state’s weatherization and rebate program.
The first workshop session is 10-10:45 a.m., repeated at 1 p.m., called Making Home Energy Upgrades Pay – Cost Effectiveness of Homer Improvements.”
The second session is 11-11:45 a.m., repeated at 2 p.m.,“Energy Rebate and Weatherization Programs” presented by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.
The third session is 12-12:45 p.m. , repeated at 3 p.m., “The House as a System – Keeping Homes Safe and Healthy When Energy Upgrades are Made,” presented by Wisdom and Associates, Inc.

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Posted by Newsroom on Nov 11th, 2009 and filed under Feature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.