­Free Health Fair Drawing Dozens Of

Exhibitors, Services, Screenings

By John Voket

After promoting the event from a rolling hay wagon in the Labor Day Parade and on a banner strung across Queen Street, organizers are in the final stages of preparing for what may be the most “informational” local health fair ever. The 14th Annual Newtown Health & Safety Fair will be held at the Newtown Middle School on Queen Street on September 29, from 10 am to 2 pm.

This year, more than 50 exhibitors are scheduled to participate. According to Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert, exhibitors range from “hands-on” medical services to a wide variety of health, family, and environmentally related organizations.

“And of course lots of free giveaways,” Ms Culbert said. “We’re hoping to see a lot of families and kids, because the Newtown Women’s Club is once again sponsoring a free drawing for a new bicycle from the World of Bikes.”

Exhibitors will be set up in the gym, while some of the health screenings will use classrooms. Other participants will even be outside on the front lawn.

“All of the volunteer fire departments and Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps will be set up in the front of the middle school, along with the popular animals from Paproski’s farm and the Big Top,” Ms Culbert said. “The Big Top will have a karate demonstration from Porco’s Karate Academy, an encore demonstration by the belly dancers who entertained the crowds last year, and a demonstration from Cody Foss of the Fitness Loft.”

Preceding the Health Fair opening, the 4th Annual Newtown Health Walk will step off from the Big Top at 8:30 am.

Among the other free activities are:

*Newtown Lions Club sponsored vision and glaucoma screening performed by optometrists Drs Roger Moore and Joseph Young.

*Bethel VNA and the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance blood pressure screening.

*Dental Associates Toothprints IDs.

*Skin cancer screening with Dr William Notaro with assistance from the Newtown VNA.

*Newtown VNA eye screening for children ages 3 to 5.

*Newtown Health District-Impact Health cholesterol screening

*Newtown Fitness Club body fat analysis

*St Vincent’s hospital mammography screening

Ms Culbert, who is also one of the chairpersons for the organizational committee for the Health Fair, said she is very excited at level of community involvement and collaboration that is going into this year’s fair.

“This is really big,” she said. “I’ve been to several health fairs in different communities over the years, and I can say that this certainly is the biggest.” The event includes many of the District’s community partners — local physicians, dentists, Visiting Nurses, the public school system, our Parks and Recreation Department, our Public Works, all of emergency first responders and many area agencies and businesses.

“And it is all free,” she said. “Where else can you go and get all of these services, all of the information, all of the free giveaways, in an open air atmosphere in the center of town?”

Planned Health Fair exhibitors include:

Advanced Specialty Care / Advanced Audiology

AFLAC

American Red Cross

Aqua Environmental

Ashlar of Newtown

Bethel VNA, blood pressure/pulse

Colonial Chiropractic Centre, posture and scoliosis

Connecticut Tick Control

Danbury Hospital

Dental Associates, Toothprints ID

Drs Dudley, Condon, and Golisano

Dr William Notaro, skin cancer

Dietnamics

Excel Tutoring

The Fitness Loft

Families Network of Western Connecticut

Genworth Long Term Care Insurance

Hopeline Women’s Center

Impact Health/Newtown Health District, cholesterol screening

Interfaith AIDS Ministry

Jade Whole Health / Jade Nutra, strength testing & electroacupuncture balance screening

Joshua Baum, orthodontics

Kevin’s Community Center

Lutheran Home of Southbury

Massage by Janel

MCCA – Midwestern Connecticut Council on Alcoholism

Newtown Chamber of Commerce

Newtown Fitness Club, body fat analysis

Newtown Footcare / Dr Segalman

Newtown Lions Club, vision & cataract eye screening

Newtown Fire Companies

Newtown Public Works

Newtown Parent Connection

Newtown Police Department

Newtown Prevention Council

Newtown Performance Chiropractic / Newtown Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Newtown Underwater Search & Rescue

Newtown VNA – vision screening for 3–5 year olds, assist Dr William Notaro

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, blood pressure

Newtown Woman’s Club

Newtown Youth & Family Services

Nutrition Support Services

Pharmanex, nutritional health scan

Porco’s Karate Academy

St Vincent’s Imaging, mammography screening

TOPS – Take Off Pounds Sensibly

United Studios of Self Defense

US Department of Labor – OSHA

Voice for Joanie