VNA 90th Anniversary Kick-Off—

Free Screenings:

Cholesterol, Bone Density

Newtown VNA and Newtown Health District will offer free cholesterol screenings on Thursday, December 6, from 9 am until noon. They will be conducted at Newtown Senior Center, within the multipurpose building at 14 Riverside Road in Sandy Hook.

Anyone seeking a screening must be at least age 40 and will need to have been fasting prior to the screening.

Also, appointments are requested. To make an appointment or for additional information, call 426-3563.

The following week the VNA will sponsor bone density screenings, also free of charge and also at the senior center. The screenings will be offered on Saturday, December 8, from 9 am until noon. Appointments are not necessary for these screenings. Residents who receive a bone scan will be given a computerized report with the results of their scan.

Local chiropractor Dr Della Schmidt will be on hand to talk about preventing various bone disease and loss of bone density. Also on hand will be Dr Alla Radinskaya from Danbury Hospital, who will offer a presentation on “Osteoporosis: Diagnosis and Treatment.” Dr Radinskaya will also answer questions about this disease. A nutritionist will also be available to answer questions.

The bone density screening will be the first event in a monthly series of free public events the VNA will be offering during the next 12 months as it celebrates a major milestone.

The Newtown VNA is celebrating 90 years of providing public health and health preservation services to the residents of Newtown. The history of VNA services in Newtown goes back to 1918, before the common advent of automobiles and telephones, when horse and buggy were virtually the only source of transportation and the one doctor in town was the sole source of medical service.

Newtown VNA arrives at its 90th anniversary at a time when many not-for-profit agencies have been taken over by multitown for-profit agencies. Newtown VNA raises money through donations; while gifts and revenues from the VNA Thrift Shop continue to provide health services for residents who are unable to pay for their health services. In fact, the motto of Newtown VNA is “No one shall be denied health services because of an inability to pay.”

“With the advent of our 90th anniversary,” said VNA Anniversary Chairman Mae Schmidle, “rather than having a dinner or other social event, our VNA has decided to provide a monthly series of health events totally free of charge to all Newtown residents.

“We are inviting everyone in Newtown to come and participate,” she continued. “Just free public health services, and we all firmly believe that this is truly the way to celebrate a 90th community. The community of Newtown has always supported the VNA when we tried to help indigent residents and made donations, bequeaths, gifts, and generously supported our thrift shop.”