Restoring Perry: Bethel Baptist to host health fair to aid in Hurricane Idalia recovery
Since a hurricane devastated the area earlier this year, many people in Taylor County are still attempting to regain their footing. On Saturday, Tallahassee's Bethel Missionary Baptist Church will lend its resources to support a community effort aimed at rebounding.
The Temple of God Church will be partnering with Bethel Baptist to host the “Taylor County Community Inspirational and Wellness 360 Christmas Health Fair,” 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Temple of God Church, 105 Sandra St. in Perry.
Free health screenings, dental kits (with toothbrush, toothpaste and floss), hot food, and toys for children under the age of 12 will be provided at the health fair. Second Harvest of the Big Bend will also be distributing canned and dry food to families.
This free event serves as an effort to help the residents of Taylor County restore their community and enhance their quality of life after Hurricane Idalia, according to the news release.
On Aug. 30, Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach and flooded the area with up to 8 feet of storm surge, deluging the Big Bend shoreline and riverbanks.
With gusts of 125 mph winds, Idalia struck counties in North Florida's core and along the coast, uprooting trees, bringing down power lines, tearing off roofs and destroying crops.
“There’s still a lot of tarps on roofs, trees that were on top of properties, and it just looked like an area that still needed a whole lot of help,” said Claudette Harrell, project manager at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.
Bethel has a healthcare ministry made up of church members who are professionals such as nurses and pharmacists.
Harrell says the pastor of Temple of God Church, Kelvin Ellis, asked the Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr. of Bethel if the church could bring its mobile medical unit to better serve the community.
“We were so elated that Pastor Ellis selected Bethel to reach out and provide as much help as we possibly can,” Harrell told the Tallahassee Democrat.
The health fair is also sponsored by other organizations such as Big Bend Hospice, Big Bend Area Health Education Center, Capital Health Plan, the Taylor County Department of Health, and 100 Black Men of America.
Democrat Writer Mikiyah Everett can be reached at Meverett@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Free health fair for Taylor County residents after Hurricane Idalia
