Saturday health fair attracts hundreds

With the start of school about two weeks away, the 2013 Desert View Hospital (DVH) Back to School Health Fair has proven once again how popular and valuable the event is to local parents and kids.

On Saturday, hundreds of people turned out at the hospital campus with kids in tow to take advantage of numerous services provided free of charge by more than 20 vendors and businesses.

Meagan Kowalski, the hospital’s marketing director and physician liaison, said the fair gives parents an opportunity to get their children physically prepped from head to toe for the fall semester, which begins on Aug. 26.

“We are excited to bring all of these wonderful services to the community at no cost to participants. This health fair is a great way to help so many in our town who otherwise would not be able to afford these services. We are deeply grateful to all of those who have stepped up to donate their time and skills to benefit the children of Pahrump,” she said.

Kowalski said that many of the accommodations, including immunizations, were crucial for students to have before attending classes this year.

Most of the services allowed kids to receive a free “checkup from the neck up.”

“We had about 90 vision screenings by Dr. (George) Leaks’ office and I’m going to estimate that close to 200 dental screenings were performed. Five-Star Dentistry did about 100, Future Smiles did about 26, while the UNLV dental students performed about 80 or so dental screenings,” she said.

Dentist Erika J. Smith, from Five-Star Dentistry, said she jumped at the opportunity to take part in the health fair.

“It was a great turnout. I’m doing screenings and people can make appointments right here as well. We’re also giving away some goody bags. It’s our first time participating but it won’t be our last,” she said.

Parent Tony Casey and her daughter Rebecca were one of the hundreds of families at the fair.

Casey noted how important the event is to the entire community each year.

“It is very much needed in such a small community as Pahrump. Unfortunately, we had to come last year and if we did not come my daughter would not have been able to get through her first year of high school,” she said.

Rebecca, clinging to some newly acquired school materials from the event, said she was lucky not to need all of the services provided at the health fair.

“I didn’t need a shot, vision, or dental work,” she said with a smile.

NyE Communities Coalition has been a major sponsor of the health fair.

Executive Director Stacy Smith and Coalition Coordinator/Community Educator Laura Oslund said they are very pleased to help bring the event to the community each year.

Oslund noted how much the event has grown since it began in 2007, when it was held in Wal-Mart, “where they actually pushed the clothes out so we had room for our tables,” she said.

Kowalski, meanwhile, said back to school materials were also available for students at no cost.

“More than $1,500 worth of school supplies were handed out in the first two hours,” she said.