NBC29Boys and Girls Club Health Fair

Boys and Girls Club Health Fair

The Charlottesville Boys and Girls Club and the University of Virginia Health System teamed up Saturday for a free health fair. In the tough economy, more and more people are taking advantage of free events like Saturday's health fair.

Dozens of kids and teens got free blood pressure checks, sports physicals, smoothies, and health tips at the Boys and Girls Club Health Fair Saturday.

Ruben Smith brought his daughter to the free fair to help get her healthy for the start of school in the fall. Smith stated, “These screenings allow you to go through the various steps to make sure when school begins that you're not on the outside of the loop because you didn't know.”

Doctor Karen Rheuban of the UVA Health System says these events are vital since the economy has made it harder for more families to seek healthcare. Karen Rheuban said, “Many individuals face many financial challenges and hardships, and so we're here to reach into the community to provide screenings and referrals and access to services they may not readily have access to on a daily basis.”

There's a support system in place if results from a screening turn alarming.

James Pierce, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club, says it's working to keep healthy living in the minds of its members. “With their continued involvement in the clubs over 1, 2 years, we show significant decrease in unhealthy behaviors, so we're very proud to maintain that record.” He stated.

Doctor Rheuban will be a part of the RAM clinic later this month, a much larger-scale free health screening with some treatment in southwest Virginia. That clinic normally treats 3,000 patients over one weekend. This year they're expecting a 20-percent increase.

Reported by Tracy Clemons
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