WARSAW —  The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with the Northern Indiana Hispanic Coalition to bring free health screenings, free book bags filled with school supplies and valuable information to the community in Kosciusko County and the surrounding areas. 

The NIHHC has been producing these events in other communities and has achieved great success in providing free healthcare screenings, information and follow up clinical appointments. This is the third year that the NIHHC is planning to serve the community of Kosciusko County with the Back-to-School Health Fair. The NIHHC has now teamed up with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce and created a committee of like-minded individuals in the healthcare community to create the health fair. 

The health fair will feature free screenings in the following categories with more being added as available: kidney, glucose, blood pressure, lipid panel (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), body mass index, oxygen saturation, waist circumference, A1C, clinical breast exams, anemia (for children and adults), bone density screenings, and more. Lipid panels require participants to have been fasting for a minimum of 12 hours. Each attendee will receive a numbered panel sheet on which their results will be recorded. They will be directed to clinicians who will provide one-on-one explanation of what each result means, and with concrete ways how each person can improve their health. They can then visit the vendor booths in the gym to find out more information about various healthcare partners in the area and what services they provide. 

Furthermore, we will be distributing free book bags filled with school supplies to children grades kindergarten through 6 that arrive with their parents. The book bags are first come, first serve, and the child must be present to receive the book bag.   

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Aug. 3, 2019, at the Kosciusko Community YMCA. This event is free to the public.

The purpose of the Kosciusko Community Healthcare is to increase access to health services to underserved, uninsured community members by helping them to identify if they are at risk of diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, among others, which increase the risk of suffering from heart diseases or stroke. If participant requires further medical attention, the NIHHC will assist the participant in seeking options that are viable to their health needs and economic status.  All services are free while supplies last. No appointments are necessary.  

If you are interested in sponsoring this event or participating as a vendor, please contact:

• Liliana Quintero of NIHHC: (574) 522-0966 or [email protected]
• Michelle Goble of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce: (574) 267-6311 x3 or [email protected] 
• Tracy Frick of the YMCA: (574) 269-9622 x232 or [email protected]
• Marlies West of Goshen Health: (574) 533-0626 x110 or [email protected]
• Kathy Boles of Mason Health: (574) 377-5010 or [email protected]
• Lisa Harman of Live Well Kosciusko: (574) 527-7902 or [email protected] 

You can also stop in at any of these locations to pick up your sponsor/vendor application.