A free community health fair focused primarily on Arlington’s immigrant communities brought numerous families to Carlin Springs Elementary School last weekend.
Health screenings, bicycle giveaways and information on county-government and nonprofit services were all part of the event, jointly sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Arlington and VHC Health’s Professional Development Council.
“The goal is to connect low-income, uninsured members of the community with health-care resources,” said Michelle Altman, a registered nurse at VHC Health. “It’s a great way to bring together health care and the community.”
The Saturday event was the second annual installment of the effort. The first had been held at Alice West Fleet Elementary School.
Moving to Carlin Springs Elementary provided additional space and put the event in the heart of Arlington’s immigrant communities.
“This is perfect — location is key,” said Linda Chandler of the Kiwanis Club, who helped coordinate the event and staffed the check-in table with fellow Kiwanis Club member Pat Keough.
Fliers were distributed to local schools, community centers and apartment buildings, alerting residents to the health screenings and other opportunities available.
“We got the word out,” Chandler said. Before the doors even opened, “there was a line outside,” she said.
More than 30 of the club’s non-profit community partners were on hand, ranging from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington to the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative.
Among participating organizations was Read Early and Daily (R.E.A.D.), a literacy organization.
Youth were at the READ table snapping up free books in English and Spanish. “Scary books” and comics were most in demand, the organization told ARLnow.
While the health fair’s main objective was focused on low-income residents, it was open to all. Some families stopped in after soccer games concluded on the adjoining athletic fields.
Volunteers from OAR of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church were on hand to guide attendees and, as needed, provide translation services.
The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation helped underwrite the day’s events, which also included free flu shots for the earliest attendees. Phoenix Bikes provided the bicycles that were raffled off.
Organizers worked with county officials to ensure the event could take place in a secure environment.
“It gave us a lot of comfort that this was going to be something that would serve the community and not put anybody at risk,” Chandler said.
The event also further showcased the importance of service clubs in the county’s broader social-safety-net efforts.
Altman is a member of the Kiwanis Club, and recently received its Outstanding Citizen Award for chairing the planning committee for the Oct. 18 event.
Altman said VHC Health’s Professional Development Council works to give rising health-care professionals information about the broader community they serve and how to play a part in it.
“They learn from people who have worked for years about how to be leaders,” she said.
The role of service clubs in safety-net services is likely to be highlighted when the Inter-Service Club Council of Arlington holds its annual luncheon and awards ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 19. The speaker will be Anita Friedman, director of the county government’s Department of Human Services.
