A6
Community
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Grant County Health
Fair marks 24th year
Fair offers shots,
tests and talks
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Attendance was light this
year at the Grant County
Health Fair held at the Grant
Union Junior-Senior High
School gym on June 15.
This was the 24th year
for the health fair, said Chris
Yriarte, the volunteer coor-
dinator for the Grant Coun-
ty Health Fair Committee,
which organizes the event.
“People began trickling
in around 6 a.m. because
they had to fast,” Yriarte
said.
Attendance at the health
fair has been declining
slightly for the past few
years despite efforts to pro-
mote the event in print and
social media, she said. The
fair typically attracts a di-
verse group of young and
old residents who seek infor-
mation on various medical
and safety services.
Vaccines were offered for
tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
Norco manager Darla Carpenter watches as Grant
County Veteran Services Officer Katee Hoffman attends
to her service dog at the Grant County Health Fair in the
Grant Union Junior-Senior High School on June 15.
and pneumococcal pneumo-
nia, and blood tests were
offered for hemoglobin, glu-
cose and iron levels. Talks
were provided on hepatitis
C and sleep hygiene. Yriarte
noted that scholarships were
available for blood draws
when needed.
Three booths set up by
the St. Charles Medical Cen-
ter in Bend offered informa-
tion on balance, strokes and
oncology. An inflatable dis-
play nicknamed “Nolan the
Colon” demonstrated polyps
found in the colon.
Other
booths
were
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Ten-year-old Bella Fitch putts the ball at the Len’s Drug booth during the Family Fun
Day event.
Family Fun Day is a hit for young and old
manned by Advantage Den-
tal in John Day, Bend-based
chiropractor Jeremy Boethin,
the Oregon Health and Sci-
ence University’s Lending
Library in Bend, Blue Moun-
tain Hospital’s Home Health
and Hospice services and
local staff from Community
Counseling Solutions.
Government agencies on
hand included Grant Coun-
ty Veteran Services Officer
Katee Hoffman and the For-
est Service, which provided
safety tips for homes and
information about defensible
spaces.
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
It was fun for all at Sat-
urday’s 11th annual Family
Fun Day at the John Day city
park.
The Ninja Warrior Wipe-
out inflatable obstacle course
was a popular new activity at
the event, sponsored by Fam-
ilies First Parent Resource
Center. And a bouncy house
and water slide made a come-
back.
The event was well attend-
ed, and hot dog and hamburg-
er sales were selling like “hot
cakes” — for $1 each.
A total of 135 hot dogs
and 240 hamburgers were
sold, 143 youths played on
the inflatables and 67 swam
at the adjacent Gleason Pool
for free.
Of the 15 activity booths,
10-year-old Bella Bate of
Prairie City said making giant
bubbles was her favorite.
“I liked that you could
make a super humongous
bubble, and that they might
last,” she said.
Her sister, 8-year-old
CeCe Bate, said she enjoyed
the Ninja inflatable.
“It’s fun to just try,” she
said.
CASA Executive Director
Hannah Hinman, who was
overseeing the bubble-mak-
ing booth all day, said the
turnout at the event was im-
pressive.
“Everyone that has come
by our booth is having a super
great time,” she said. “I think
it’s fun to have something
like this in the community.”
Other booths included free
dental screenings, a helmet
exchange and crafts.
A golf putting station
by Len’s Drug and ani-
mal-shaped balloons by Tina
Shorts of Blue Mountain
Hospital were also among the
VETERANS APPRECIATION SHOOT
July 1, 2018 at 9:00AM
Grant County Shooting Sports presents a
“Benny Says” - A clay target game just for
US Military Veterans
Fun and games for all shooters (non veterans) at normal cost
Targets and 12 ga ammo provided until gone.
A time to meet service men & women and friends,
shoot, have lunch and visit.
At the Seneca Range • 541-820-4624
64069
Dry camp, bring water.
63011
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Ten-year-old Bella Bate of Prairie City is amazed at the
humongous bubble she created at the CASA booth
during Family Fun Day at the John Day city park.
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Brianna Majors makes a snow cone for Malachi
Bogardus at Family Fun Day with help from Leah Comer,
right.
16 booths. Free snow cones
were popular.
Families First Executive
Director Teresa Aasness said
the attendance was great this
year, despite the day turning
rainy by midafternoon. She
noted the purpose of the event
is not to make money but to
allow families to have a fun
activity together.
“It’s to celebrate fami-
lies, and we try really hard
to make sure the event is low
cost for families,” she said.
“It costs us a lot of money to
do it, but it’s something that I
think is really valuable for the
community. We hope to con-
tinue in the future.”