Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Health-A-Rama Set For September 6 At Prescott City Parks

By JOHN MILLER

Hey, kids! guess what?

Ronald McDonald is coming to Prescott.

The world's best known clown is making the trip to Prescott for the First Annual Health-A-Rama Saturday, Sept. 6.

The Health-A-Rama will be held at the Prescott City Park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and is being sponsored by the Prescott-Nevada County Health Alliance.

There will be an abundance of health screenings offered at the health fair, including blood sugar screenings, blood pressure checks, cholesterol checks, cataract and glaucoma exams and oxygen saturation. Additionally, there will be body mass measurements and mammograms from St. Joseph's Regional Health Unit in Hot Springs. The mammograms will cost $65, with St. Joseph's agreeing to file on a person's insurance.

Along with all the screenings, there will be plenty for the youngsters to do besides visit with Ronald McDonald. There will be bingo games, clowns, relay races, firetruck tours, go-fishing and a special appearance by none other than Prescott's own Wally the Wolf.

But this isn't all. There will also be health education booths providing information on drug and alcohol prevention, breast self exams, financial health, physical fitness, college health education, insurance information, organ donor recovery and hospice care.

This event came about because the health care providers in the county, after the Nevada County Hospital closed on July 21, 1995, got together and formed the current alliance.

These providers represent doctors, pharmacists, nursing homes, home health agencies, rehabilitation centers, the ambulance service and medical equipment vendors.

This group then invited the Mayor of Prescott, the director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office and the director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce to participate.

In addition, the alliance tendered invitations to out of town doctors and health care agencies that provide services to Nevada County.

This group works with the Ministerial Alliance to get the message to residents about the health care services offered in and to Nevada County. The Ministerial Alliance has been able to provide residents of the county of the services they may need and how to get them.

Other groups involved in the First Annual Health-A-Rama include: Arkansas Clinic for Children and Young Adults; University of Arkansas Community College at Hope; Columbia County Red Cross; Southwest Arkansas Development Council; Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency; Columbia Medical Park Hospital; Columbia Homecare; Columbia Healthcare; Teague and Pearson Eye Clinics; Hillcrest Nursing Home; Arkansas Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Holly's Healthmart; Arkadelphia Women's Clinic; Arkansas Forestry Service; Nevada County Ambulance Service; Nevada County Sheriff's Office; Prescott Schools; Boys to Men (a youth group who has volunteered to set up tables and chairs at the fair, as well as take them down again); Home Extension Service; Prevention Resource Center; Fred's Pharmacy; Rotary Club; Lion's Club; TriServices Club; Oliver's One Stop; Taylor's Big Star; Sonic; Hobo Joe's; Maxine's Diner; Piggly Wiggly; Beverly Health and Rehab; Arkansas Department of Health; Alliance Home Health; Bank of Delight; St. Michael Hospital; Arkansas State Police; Bank of Prescott; Baptist Hospital of Arkadelphia; and the Arkansas National Guard.

Also involved is the Alzheimer's Group and Chuck Livingston, with the Southwest Arkansas Counseling and Mental Health Center.

There will also be information from the American Heart Association; American Diabetes Foundation; American Red Cross; American Lung Association; and the American Cancer Society.

A poster contest will be held in area schools and is open to students in grades five and six. The posters must be health oriented.

The winners at each school will receive $20, while the second place finisher gets $10. A grand prize will be awarded to the overall winner at the Health-A-Rama and get another $10.

Mary Alice Blevins, with Columbia Health Care, said St. Joseph's will bring a mammography unit to Nevada County on a monthly basis for local and area residents.