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Delta Health and Wellness Day announced

In 2012, over 900 people participated in the Delta Health and Wellness Day.

The Healthy Campus/Community Initiative (HCCI) will host the Ninth Annual Delta Health and Wellness Day on Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Walter Sillers Coliseum on campus. HCCI is a partnership of Delta State University’s College of Education and Human Sciences and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

Delta Health and Wellness Day (DHWD) offers free screenings, educational outreach, and access to health care to all Delta residents. The event highlights health care services throughout the Mississippi Delta and is open to the public. Last year, the Eighth Annual Delta Health and Wellness Day drew approximately 900 participants.

“Delta Health and Wellness Day’s mission is to address the health needs of all ages, ethnicities, and genders across our community including early childhood, school age, adults, homeless, and elderly,” said Krista Davis, RD, of the DHWD Committee and Healthy Campus/Community Initiative Coordinator.

Ginger Dalton with Avritt Medical Equipment, who has been on the DHWD committee for the past 9 years, said “Delta Health and Wellness Day is a valuable asset for the surrounding community.  Hopefully everyone will take advantage of the free screening and wealth of information the health fair has to offer.”

Delta Health and Wellness Day includes three primary components:

• An area where exhibitors of health-related organizations perform free screenings including birth to five years of age. Health care professionals, non-profits and others set up display booths and provide information and services to the public. The Cleveland Coalition for Excel by 5 partners with DHWD to provide the early childhood components.

• A Kidz Zone where fourth grade students have scoliosis checks, participate in health-related activities, and receive valuable information on healthy eating, nutrition, exercise, and safety.

• A Teen Zone for all tenth graders from the Cleveland School District and Bayou Academy. Students will be bussed in for a day of fitness activities, healthy eating/thinking/decision-making, and positive thinking. For teens it will be a day of emphasis on mental, physical, and emotional health.

All testing and screenings at the event are free. In addition, Walgreens will be providing flu shots free to those with insurance cards and will charge $25.99 to those without insurance. The Mississippi Blood Services Mobile Unit will be parked outside the event accepting blood donations.

 “This huge collaborative event is made possible by many efforts including the Healthy Campus/Community Initiative and Division of Health Recreation and Physical Education under the College of Education, Robert E. Smith School of Nursing, Cleveland School District, Bolivar Medical Center, North Sunflower Medical Center, and our participating vendors and volunteers,” said Davis.

For more information on Delta Health and Wellness Day, contact Krista Davis at 662-846-4567 or kadavis@deltastate.edu.

Now in its fifth year, the Healthy Campus/Community Initiative operates under Delta State’s College of Education and Human Sciences and is funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. Other Healthy Campus/Community Initiative programs include Court Street to Cleveland, in-school nutrition education, Fit-Tastic Fridays, group fitness classes, OKRA Camp, Walk It Out Cleveland, and nutritional and fitness counseling.

DHWD poster 2013 Final