Community members visit tables for free health screenings at the Kosciusko Community Wellness Fair, located at the YMCA.

Photos and Text
By Madison Hart
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Various local health services came together for a Kosciusko Community Wellness Fair to serve the community “from head to toe” Saturday, Sept. 28.

Parkview Health, Lutheran Health Network, Goshen Health, Bowen Center, LiveWell Kosciusko, Health First Kosciusko and more attended at the Kosciusko Community Wellness Fair, offering free health screenings, information about wellness services and opportunities to sign up for follow-up appointments.

“The goal is to serve the uninsured and underinsured in the community,” said Kosciusko YMCA Director of Healthy Living Tracy Frick, who leads the Kosciusko Community Wellness Fair Committee. “We also have all of our information in English and Spanish because the Spanish-speaking population need to be able to communicate with providers. We have Spanish-speaking staff and volunteers at every table.”

The Kosciusko Community Wellness Fair first started in 2019 but paused due to COVID-19. This is the second year the fair has returned post-pandemic. According to Frick, 260 people attended last year, but she hopes they’ll eventually get as many attendees as the 500 they had in 2019.

The theme of the fair was “Health From Head to Toe.” Services from grief support to diabetes screening to blood pressure readings to sleep apnea prescreening were available. Frick noted that the fair offered a kids’ activity station, a K-9 demonstration, a helicopter and more, in order to make the event as family-friendly as possible.

“One thing I like about this event is ‘Ask The Expert,’ where participants can talk to a doctor one-on-one about health concerns, which is really unique and not offered at many health fairs,” said Frick. “We really think about the community needs and try to serve ‘from head to toe.'”