Free Health Fair Slated for Saturday

In an effort to promote health and reach out to the community, Van Nuys Elementary School and Valley Presbyterian Hospital will host a free health fair on Saturday.

The fair, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school at 6464 Sylmar Ave., will include health screenings, free immunizations, health education and information on ways to improve one’s lifestyle.

The fair is one of the many programs the Van Nuys Elementary School will undertake thanks to a $400,000 grant from the state’s Healthy Start Operational Grant program, said Carol Greene, the program’s coordinator at the school.

“The goal is to increase academic achievement, and the state realizes to do that you need healthy students,” Greene said.

“In effect, it turns the school into a community service. We’re really trying to improve the area for kids.”

The grant’s main purpose is to help build a community effort to provide students and families access to social, health and education services, Greene said.

Emphasizing preventive health care, Valley Presbyterian Hospital spokeswoman Kellye Tarelka said one of the reasons the hospital got involved was to help children receive proper care and treatment.

“Our goal at Valley Presbyterian Hospital is to not only provide health services, but also coordinate community outreach programs such as health and educational fairs,” Tarelka said.

Along with health information booths, Saturday’s fair will offer free immunizations for children 2 and older, a physical fitness test given by the local YMCA and a dental booth, among other services. For the kids, a moon bounce will be set up and a puppet show performed.