Health fair jumping with high energy
Superior student Kyle Francis takes a ride in the “seatbelt convincer” during the health fair on Saturday. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Emma Lommen helps out at the Mineral County Health Department table during Saturday’s health fair. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Terry Zylway with Sunrider Whole Food Nutrition supplies samples of healthy Vitashakes to people at the Mineral Community Hospital Health Fair. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Monte Turner hands a basket of goodies to a lucky winner during a drawing at the Mineral Community Hospital Health Fair on May 20. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
By KATHLEEN WOODFORD
Mineral Independent
The 2017 Mineral Community Hospital Health Fair was held on a Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. until noon in the elementary gym at the Superior School. Just outside the gym, Montana Highway Patrolman, Zach Rehbein was demonstrating the importance of wearing seatbelts.
“This is the seatbelt convincer,” he said about two car seats attached to a steel cord in a flatbed trailer. He explained that the participant straps into the seatbelt and the seats are pulled back then let go. It simulates how a 5 mph crash feels.
Superior student, Kyler Francis who has been driving for about a year, helped to demonstrate how the simulator worked. Once it hit on impact, he said he was surprised at the jolt.
“Now imagine what it would feel like going 80 mph down the freeway,” Rehbein said. “This is a great training aid to make people aware that they need to wear a seatbelt.”
Once inside the gym, hospital CEO Ron Gleason was greeting people. “There has been a lot of people coming in and out. It’s been really busy. It’s a great turnout.”
The fair was jumping with activity as over 30 vendors displayed their wares which covered virtually every health related topic including veteran care, hygiene, emergency services, childcare, and healthy products.
On display was the hospital’s new telepsych unit which is for telepsychiatry. They have recently partnered with Dr. Laura Salyers, a practicing psychiatrist in Missoula. She is with Providence Health and Services, and through telemedicine Mineral County residents can now have access to psychiatrist services and support through real-time videoconferencing and people can sign up any time said Gleason.
The Superior Afterschool kids also demonstrated their culinary expertise. With the help of grants, program coordinator, Dawn Bauer has purchased crockpots and loads of food for the kids. She said they learn how to make meals using the crockpots. She then sends them home with ingredients and even a pot if they need one and so they can make meals at home over the weekend.
“It’s better than just sending them home with a bag of food. This shows them how to cook and makes them more self-sufficient,” Bauer explained.
People also had a chance to tour a room she has converted into a pantry. Shelves of spices, pasta, sauces and soups line the walls. There is also a freezer full of bread and chicken and pre-packaged bags of food the kids can take home.
“This is all the food some of them have for the weekend,” she explained. Toward the end of the health fair hospital representative, Monte Turner and Superior student Sammi Francis drew numbers from a basket for several prizes including gift certificates and baskets of goodies donated by the vendors.