South Miami Hospital is hosting a free Community Health & Wellness Fair, Saturday, March 8, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m., at Palmer Park, located at 6100 SW 67 Avenue, South Miami. The event will offer the whole family the opportunity to connect with health professionals and local resources, take advantage of free health screenings, enjoy live entertainment and kid-friendly activities and learn about healthy habits.
Vital health screenings for adults will include blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and body mass index (BMI) tests. Adults are encouraged to “know their numbers” and understand what they mean. Keeping these numbers within a healthy range can help people improve their heart health and reduce their risk for heart disease.
Fun activities planned for children at the Community Health & Wellness Fair include face painting and an obstacle course bounce house. Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins dancers and mascots also will be at Palmer Park to greet fans and pose for photos.
“South Miami Hospital has long been an active partner in community outreach and education to help keep our residents healthy,” said Lincoln Mendez, chief executive officer. “We’re proud to offer this event that brings together healthcare professionals, community leaders and friends and neighbors to promote healthy lifestyles.”
Taking place on the health fair’s main stage will be interactive games, giveaways and high-energy entertainment by local school bands, choirs, cheerleaders and dance teams. South Florida radio station Hits 97.3 FM will emcee the event and provide lively music to get people moving. Healthy refreshments also will be available – including a “Five a-Day, the Baptist Health Way” booth – where families can discover a simple way to follow a healthy food plan based on USDA guidelines, which encourage everyone to reach for more fruits and vegetables.
During three live presentations, Food Play Productions will make kids laugh and inspire them to eat their five servings of fruits and veggies. The Emmy award-winning production company tours the nation’s schools and special events using the power of live theater and interactive resources to turn kids on to healthy eating and active lifestyles.
Students from participating area schools are encouraged to take part in the School Challenge by signing in at the registration table when they enter the health fair. The school with the highest percentage of participation will receive special recognition, and so will the school’s proud principal. In addition, students in the classroom with the highest participation percentage will receive free passes to ZooMiami, and the winning teacher will win an iPad.
For more information about the free Community Health & Wellness Fair on March 8 hosted by South Miami Hospital, call 786-596-3812 or visit online at BaptistHealth.net/SouthMiami.
