Community Health Development Inc. CEO Mayela Castañon reported that 5,100 individuals, including exhibitors, attended the 23rd annual back-to-school wellness fair on August 9 at the Willie De Leon Civic Center. This marks an impressive increase of nearly 2,000 attendees compared to the 3,190 who participated in 2023.
Volunteers organized numerous giveaways and distributed 1,160 backpacks filled with school supplies. Castañon noted that the event was successful, with the new layout of exhibitors’ tables facilitating a smooth flow among the 42 vendor booths.
Some vendors, however, had to leave approximately half an hour before the event’s conclusion at 7 p.m. due to running out of supplies. Volunteers served over 500 hot dogs and around 565 snow cones, while the Sahawe Dancers entertained the crowd.
Alesandra Gonzales|Leader-News
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District staff members (from left) Micaela Delgado and Nancy Longoria with district Superintendent Ashley Chohlis at a ‘Save the Children’ book booth memorializing the 19 students and two teachers who died in the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.
Castañon mentioned that 26 patients received 56 immunizations against influenza and COVID-19. CHDI provided 50 blood pressure checks, 62 sports physicals, and 11 dental screenings, while Walmart conducted over 200 vision screenings.
Additionally, N High Barber Shop, Eva Padilla, and Janie Ferguson offered 48 children’s haircuts. The wellness fair coincides annually with National Health Center Week, which was observed from August 4-10 this year.
For a brief video, see tinyurl.com/CHDI2024.
Vision van
The Envolve mobile unit, known as “Eyeleen the Eye Van,” was stationed at Our Health Center/Nuestro Centro de Salud, 200 Evans St., from July 29-30. Castañon reported that they conducted 429 vision screenings. This marks the third consecutive year that the Envolve mobile unit has visited Uvalde in conjunction with the wellness fair.
Patients identified by the Envolve optometrist as needing reading glasses received them on-site, with prescription glasses expected to be mailed within a few weeks. Both the reading and prescription lenses, along with the exams, were provided free of charge to the patients.
jkeeble@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335
Alesandra Gonzales|Leader-News
Wearing plastic hard-hat replicas from Vulcan Materials, children peruse a booth during Community Health Development’s 23rd-annual back-to-school wellness fair.
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