Gathering promotes health awareness

Published 7:00 am Sunday, June 26, 2011

Citizens of all ages made their way over to the Southeast Elementary School and Scott Park Saturday for the 10th Annual Public Health Awareness event.

A stream of information on health care and a number of free screenings were available to Valdosta residents from school-aged children to the elderly. The event was a collaboration of several members in the health industry who wanted to educate and reach out to people in the areas of cholesterol testing, body mass counts, good heart health, HIV awareness and more.

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority, Valdosta Board of Education and Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office personnel work in conjunction with the South Health District to ensure the yearly event is successful and the community’s needs are being met.

Betty Smith, adult education program director for Wiregrass Technical College southern region, said she has participated in the event before and was there Saturday to continue offering information to the adult community.

“Being at the event has been

 profitable,” Smith said. “In the past, we

 have had people to sign up and take the information we hand out. We have been able to reach those who may not have ever thought to come to the school on their own. Coming here is definitely worth the time.”

Also reaching out to the older population was the Foster Grandparents Program and the Retired and Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP). Beulah Berrian (known as “Granny B”) said she has been volunteering for about two years and wants to encourage other seniors to get involved in being a foster grandparent.

“There ae so many children with needs,” Berrian said. “Our job is just to love them and be their grannies away from home.”

Berrian’s co-worker, Mary Spencer, has also been volunteering for two years and added the two could use more volunteers at the Crossing Jordan Daycare, where they help with the basic needs of the children, but also, she would love to have even more children attend the facility.

Gloria Butler, program director for the Foster Grandparents as well as RSVP, said she looks to recruit seniors 55 years of age and older  who can give back some knowledge they used while in the work force and also work with at-risk kids.

“Our multi-faceted programs also include providing services for senior with dementia and helping seniors live independently,” Butler added.

Along with many of the repeat agencies from the previous health events, approximately six new agencies and organizations have joined the informative event. The Atlas Wellness of Valdosta featured the Atlas Orthogonal instrument for spine alignment. The purpose of the instrument is to correct the alignment of an unbalanced spine. Ted Okolichany, marketing director for the company, said his wife, chiropractor Dr. Debra Okolichany, is one of two certified doctors in the world who utilizes an instrument and relieves children of asthma, colic, ear infections , etc, and relieves adults of migraine headaches, depression, infertility and more, simply by aligning the spine. The goal the doctor is trying to reach is to have every baby checked at birth for misalignment that can possibly cause problems in the future.

Free alignment screening were performed on children as well as adults at the Saturday event. Atlas Wellness is new to Valdosta. For more information, go to www.aochiropractic.com.

After all the giveaways, free information and lunch were distributed, the attendees enjoyed a fashion show by Dress for Less.

Brenda Mims, South Health District infectious disease coordinator, said the yearly event is held on the last Saturday in June to recognize June 27 as the National HIV Testing Day.

She also added that the event is a good way for those who may never go to a doctor to get free screenings, not only for HIV and AIDS but also for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other medical issues.

The sheriff’s office, in partnership with the South Health District, works with a program called Stitches which helps provide funding for the health screens, the event’s activities and food.