Senior health fair to benefit local county services
Sep. 7—On Wednesday, Sept. 13, a Senior Health and Community Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., thanks to a partnership between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Eve Black & Associates Inc. that will benefit the Sampson County Department of Aging.
The event will be held at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center, and the venue will be full of booths featuring various health and community providers to help inform and advise senior citizens about healthcare resources, as well as a number of on-site services.
There will be no cost or admission fee to attend the event; however, there will be raffles for which you can purchase tickets, with proceeds benefiting the Sampson County Department on Aging. In addition, the first 500 attendees at the event will receive a complimentary insulated cooler bag, including lunch catered by Village Subs of Wallace. For all attendees, there will be giveaways at many booths in addition to the opportunity to enter the raffles.
The long list of organizations that will be in attendance setting up their booths will include various medical professionals such as doctor's offices, dermatologists, and chiropractic offices, just to list a few. "We tried to get some of everything — so many organizations and providers play a role in the health of our community, especially our Senior population," Black-Venters said.
There will also be non-medical organizations in attendance to offer assistance to seniors. For example, there will be booths to help with things like navigating parts of social security, and the YMCA will even be in attendance to promote opportunities for exercise. The space will lend itself to a feeling of community, with opportunities to enjoy time with others and the benefits of consulting with doctors and other organizations about resources for health, finances, and more.
All of the event proceeds will go to the Sampson County Department of Aging, as none of the profits from the Senior Health and Community Fair will be used to cover the cost of the event itself. So, any money made from an organization paying to rent a booth, to advertise, or from raffle ticket sales, will go straight to the Department of Aging.
The ability to donate 100% of profits from the Senior Health and Community Fair has been made possible by Eve Black and Associates Inc., an authorized agent for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, as well as the many donors who have contributed which allowed the event to be held at the Agri-Exposition Center, providing accessibility for everyone in Sampson County.
"I am so grateful to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina because they are a very community-oriented company, and they believe in communities and helping people," Black-Venters said, "They do so much to improve health for all North Carolinians, and they're always partnering with us to do something good for our community. They're top-notch and really do go above and beyond as a health insurer."
There will also be an opportunity to register for bingo, as there is also a social component to the event — like a fair. Social isolation is a big issue for senior citizens, so playing games and having ways to interact with other members of the community can help combat this growing problem.
The funds raised for the Sampson County Department of Aging will go towards projects and services like senior centers and nutrition sites, assistance with wheelchair ramps, counseling, healthcare, and family caregivers.
Black-Venters emphasized, "We especially want to send a heartfelt thank you to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and all the donors, vendors, volunteers, planners, and everyone who has worked so hard to make this event possible."
Anyone with questions can contact Ashley Honeycutt or Eve Black-Venters at 910-592-2933.
