By BARBARA BLAIRThe 28th annual Los Alamos Heart Council Health Fair, held at Griffith Gymnasium Saturday, Sept. 28, was a tremendous success! We had close to 1,900 attendees.
There were 63 exhibitors representing a wide range of health-related organizations from Los Alamos and surrounding communities. A total of 884 flu shots were given and 263 blood draws were done. Along with many other health screenings, 180 bike helmets were given out to Los Alamos and northern New Mexico children.
The Health Fair is only possible with the support of many organizations, a large number of volunteers, and the broader community. Thanks are due to the Los Alamos Heart Council (a United Way community partner), which has put on the Health Fair every year for 28 years; to the Los Alamos Medical Center, which co-sponsors and assists the Heart Council by covering the costs associated with flu shots, offers the discounted blood work, and helps fund some of the advertising; to the phlebotomists from the Medical Center; to the Los Alamos Monitor that publishes the Health Fair guide; to KRSN for their support of community activities such as the Health Fair through their interviews and Public Service Announcements; and to the Tuff Riders for help in fitting the helmets for the kids.
A big thank you goes to those nurses from LAMC and the student nurses from Northern New Mexico College and other physician’s offices that administered the flu shots – the line moved very quickly thanks to all of you. Many thanks also, to the wonderful staff from Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico who did a very efficient job of getting people through the blood draw line, to Melanie Chapman from the Family YMCA who helped organize and sponsor the Children’s HeartSmart Poster contest, and to Dave Delanoy who helped in planning for and setting up the gym and booths.
Special thanks also go to the many exhibitors who give freely of their time and expertise in order to educate and serve the community, to the Los Alamos Medical Center Auxiliary volunteers (Pink Ladies) who assist on the day of the Health Fair, to the High School custodians, and other school personnel who assist in setting up the gymnasium before the Health Fair and in cleaning up afterwards, to the students from the National Honor Society and the Key Club who helped wherever there was a need the day of the Health Fair, to RSVP for distributing Health Fair flyers, to RSVP volunteers Joel Dahlby and Dick Tatro for helping the exhibitors carry in their materials, and to the LAHS Girls Volleyball team for having goodies available at the concession stand. And, finally, thanks are due to the many members of the community who attend the Health Fair and make it all worthwhile.
We look forward to seeing you next year, at the 29th annual Los Alamos Heart Council Health Fair, which will be held at Griffith Gymnasium in the fall of 2014.
