Shady Grove prepares for 13th health fair

Shady Grove Baptist Church is gearing up to present its 13th community regional health fair Saturday, Oct. 23. The fair will feature entertainment, education and evaluative health screenings at the church off Monrovia Road.
The fair began 12 years ago when church member Phyllis Highland became the church's outreach minister. Highland said she realized one day that no one in the local area was hosting a health fair. She said she presented it to the outreach group and they agreed the church should host one.
"I was excited but it occurred to me that I had no clue what a health fair should be," she said. "So I prayed about it and the Lord gave me a plan for it."
Highland said that first year, the church held a health fair in January with 75 attendees and only a few health care professionals, representing health wellness agencies, businesses  and providers. When the church hosted the fair again that year in October, the professionals had doubled in number and more than 150 people attended.
"I realized God was truly blessing this," Highland said.
The fair has grown in leaps and bounds over time and, according to Highland, there were more than 300 people who attended the event last year. This year, she said she is planning for 400 people, with even more health care professionals, all of which volunteer to attend the fair.
This year, 18 screenings will be available at the fair, including vision and hearing screenings by the LOW Lions Club; blood pressure checks; blood sugar checks; cholesterol screenings; glaucoma screenings and derma scans by Culpeper Hospital. A blood drive will be held during the fair by Virginia Blood Services. There will also be educational information available from the Rappahannock-Rapidan Medical Reserve Corps, Culpeper Regional Hospital, UVa's Every Woman's Life, March of Dimes, TRIAD and more.
All screenings and educational materials are free with the exception of flu shots, pneumonia shots and  mammograms. Some insurance types may be accepted for these screenings. Also, women wishing to receive a mammogram must call to make an appointment at 1-800-283-3926. Anyone wishing to donate blood should call Wanda Tyler at 661-1122 to sign up. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Entertainment will be provided throughout the fair by various choirs, including Main Uno Choir, Shady Grove Mass Choir, Orange Baptist Choir and the White Oak Run Praise Team. Activities for children include horse rides, face painting, a moon bounce, barrel train rides and balloon animals by magician David Graham. Food will also be available.
"The idea is for this to cover the whole being, spiritual [and physical]," Highland said.
She said over the years people have given testimonies about how the fair has helped them. She said several people have been screened during the fair and discovered unknown health problems, which they have then been able to alert their doctor to and solve.
"People should come get themselves screened for free by medically trained professionals," Highland said. "Who knows, these screenings could mean a difference of life and a wake-up call for someone to follow up with their doctor and get their health issues taken care of."
The health fair will be held at Shady Grove Baptist Church Saturday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donna Moyer of Hospice of the Rapidan will be the guest speaker and will speak at 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Phyllis Highland at 854-5684 or 540-220-1918. Anyone needing a ride may schedule one by calling 672-2996.