AeroMed on display at the 2016 Health and Safety Fair
Fun and safety lessons are a big part of the Health and Safety Fair for youngsters.
A free healthy brown bag lunch is provided as part of the Health and Safety Fair.
By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Since 2004, the free annual Paula Pirnstill Memorial Health and Safety Fair has been held in Farwell on the third Saturday of April.
This year’s 19th annual event, presented by the Farwell Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held Saturday, April 15th from 10 am to 2 p.m. on the Farwell Schools campus, 399 East Ohio Street in Farwell.
Gina Hamilton, Tom Pirnstill and the entire committee are working to ensure that the time you spend at the Health Fair this year, as always, will be safe, informative and full of many fun activities.”
The high school gym will have booths full of information and health care providers and once again, LifeNet Helicopter will land in the parking lot for a special display.
Events this year include the Red Hat Strutters, Hall of Health, The Music Lady (from 11 to 1), the American Cancer Society, Walmart Vision Center, Smokehouse display, and an Operation Lifesaver Class presented by the Great Lakes Central Railroad at 10:30 am.
Every year the Health Fair has featured Diabetes Information, Blood Pressure Checks, Blood Drives and much more. Multiple Health Care Professionals and Local Safety Teams, Smiles on Wheels and FREE car seat safety checks will be features with FREE replacement seats for those who qualify.
They have said, “We bring professionals with up-to-date knowledge together with people who need that knowledge. The more informed you are, the smarter the decisions are, that can be made.”
For a “Slice of Summer,” The Children’s Health Fair, located in a separate gym, will provide parents and kids with health and safety information, activities and demonstrations. Stop in at the Chamber booth and pick up a Health Care Passport, visit the booths and enter the drawing to win free prizes during the event.
There will also be a FREE healthy brown bag lunch provided from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm and the Health Fair is also the place to come to drop off prescription drugs and usable medical equipment.
Bring a non-perishable food item to help stamp out hunger in the community.
And remember, everything at both the Health and Safety Fair and Children’s Fair is always free.
The Health Fair, unique in the area, was started back in 2004 by Tom and his wife Paula, who was battling ovarian cancer at the time. She attended the first Health and Safety Fair but was too ill to attend the second, he said. She died July 5, 2006.
Every year the event has gotten bigger and better. “Plan to bring your friends and neighbors,” Pirnstill said in an earlier interview. The Farwell Chamber website says, “Since the beginning of this event, it has been our goal to provide education, testing and information at no cost to the attendees or the vendors.”
Volunteers work to gather pamphlets and informational packages to be given to the attendees. Committee members contact local hospitals, area physicians, medical care facilities and local health resources to participate in this annual event.
“The whole purpose of the Health and Safety Fair is to get information to people who otherwise may not have access to it,” said Pirnstill. The attendance for the event increases each year.
More vendors are being sought for this year’s event. Interested people should contact Tom Pirnstill by email at tpirnstill@sbcglobal.net. For more information email Facc@farwellareachamber.com.
This year’s event sponsors are Isabella Bank, Reiss Real Estate, Collins Family Investments, Carrow’s Supermarket, Witbeck’s Family Foods, Members First Credit Union and MyMichigan Health.
“See you April 15th at the Farwell High School!”