Partnership for Community Wellness sponsors health fair in south Omaha Aug. 16

Partnership for Wellness a collaboration of ConAgra Foods, University

of Nebraska Medical Center and The Nebraska Medical Center will sponsor

the largest community health fair to be held in South Omaha in 2003. The

fair will be Saturday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Metropolitan

Community College Industrial Training Center, 2909 Edward Babe Gomez Avenue.

The health fair is presented by Partnership for Community Wellness,

in collaboration with YWCA, University Extension Nutrition Program, Douglas

County Health Department, Metropolitan Community College, and Access Medicaid/Nebraska

Kids Connection and Pfizer.

There will be substantial free screenings, including screenings for

bone density, glaucoma and vision issues, height and weight, blood pressure,

oral health and breast cancer, glucose, cholesterol, prostate specific

Antigen (PSA) and lead poisoning, body mass index, and hemocult kits

the home test indicator of possible colon issues.

There also will be educational seminars on asthma, diabetes and lead

poisoning, and demonstrations on exercise and healthy cooking. The workshop

times are:

· Diabetes 10:30 a.m.

· Exercise 11 a.m.  Focusing on youth health, there will

be exercise demonstrations with health fair attendees and a peer group

fitness exhibition by members of the Midwest Striders Track Club who participated

in the U.S. Track and Field National Junior Olympics in Miami, FL, on Jul.

28-Aug. 3.

· Cooking classes 11:30 a.m. and noon

· Asthma 12:30 p.m.

· Lead poisoning 1 p.m.

The cooking class is unique to any cooking class at an Omaha community

health fair this class will be taught twice once in English and again

in Spanish. The focus of the class is to teach how to decrease fat intake

in one’s diet by modifying traditional food recipes.  Low-fat does

not have to mean bland and boring.  Low-fat dishes can also be packed

with flavor. Participants will learn how to prepare a tasty low-fat bean

dip recipe and will be given samples to enjoy.  Participants will

not be disappointed in this low-fat recipe.

For more information, contact Kathy Byrnes, Community Relations Liaison,

The Nebraska Medical Center, at 559-3466 or e-mail at byrnes@NebraskaMed.com.