Wellness Fair with Veterans’ and Military Families’ Outreach on May 7

The Silver Stage Task Force’s 7th annual Wellness Fair is shaping up to be the best one yet, with live music by Queen Bee and the Dogheads, free kids’ immunizations and free health services and door prizes for all ages, healthy cooking demonstrations, Shriner’s clowns and a family fitness relay course.

The huge fair, featuring over 80 booths, will be held at the Silver Stage High School in Silver Springs on May 7 from 10am to 2pm. Organizer Cara Childs stressed that the fair is open to anyone of any age, and hopes people from all over the Lyon County region will attend. This big rural fair is designed to help residents shop around for the best information on health and wellness. The completely free annual event promotes the full spectrum of wellness, from good nutrition, gardening, and fitness to preventative health care and treatment to volunteer, arts and educational opportunities.

Veterans and Military Families Services Added
This year, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Rural Health and the VA Sierra Nevada Healthcare System, the task force has invited many groups that will be of special interest to veterans, enlisted, reserve and their families. Over a dozen groups that offer services, mutual support groups, networking, and information for veterans, enlisted and their families will be featured at the fair. Veterans will be able to apply for benefits on site at the fair through the Mobile Outreach Office.

Free Health Services
In addition, Community Health Nurses from Lyon County and Carson City Health and Human Services will offer free immunizations funded through the Northern Nevada Immunization Coalition. The fair also offers dozens of other free services, samples and door prizes, including an “Ask a Doctor” service with Dr. Bret Bellard of Eastern Sierra Medical Group, a safe prescription drug disposal service hosted by Lyon County Sheriff’s Dept., vision screening, body mass index testing, rapid HIV testing by Northern Nevada HOPES, samples of nutritious lunch menu items by Aramark, and free children’s books.

Family Fitness Relay and Free Helmets
The fitness relay that was such a big hit last year will be offered again this year. The fitness relay, organized by Silver Stage High nurse Donna Ray, will include stations such as dance, frisbee golf, hula hoop, soccer, and jumping jacks. This year, Nevada State Health Division’s Bureau of Child, Family, and Community Wellness Statewide Injury and Violence Prevention Program is providing free bicycle, skateboard and snowboard helmets and injury prevention brochures to children at the fitness relay.

The four-hour fair is a way to introduce residents in the Lyon County region to clubs, programs, classes, and services that can help them develop an active, healthy life, and also showcases the services of local organizations, such as Silver Stage Task Force, Silver Stage Youth Organization, Healthy Communities Coalition, United Latino Community, Lyon County Senior Services, Lyon County Libraries, Lyon County Schools, 4-H, and Boys and Girls Clubs, that seek to enrich the lives of those in our community.

Organizer Cara Childs noted that the task force is especially grateful for the use of both Silver Stage High School gyms as well as the Commons areas for the Wellness Fair. For more information, contact organizer Cara Childs at (775) 315-2990. Silver Stage Task Force is a partner of Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey, a private nonprofit.

Details:
Organized by: Silver Stage Task Force, a community partner of Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey, a private nonprofit www.healthycomm.org or www.facebook.com/healthycommunitiescoalition
Contact: Cara Childs at (775) 315-2990 or Quest Lakes at 287-7598
When: Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 10am to 2pm
Where: Silver Stage High School gyms, Commons area, 3755 W Spruce Ave, Silver Springs, Nevada
Cost: Completely free
For: Anyone of any age from anywhere

Photos by: Quest Lakes
Photo 1: The Veteran's Mobile Outreach office will be at the Silver Stage Task
Force Wellness Fair on May 7, a free event that will feature services outreach to veterans and military families in the Lyon County region.

Photo 2: Free children's immunizations will be offered at the Silver Stage Task
Force's annual Wellness Fair on May 7. Pictured here, Julia Peek of the Nevada State Health Division assisted during last year's wellness fair.