ltr-Thanks for support for Community Health Fair

Dear Community:

Thanks to our outstanding community for your continued enthusiasm and support for the Crested Butte Community Health Fair. Including two mornings of pre-draws and the health fair we processed 683 participants a 10 percent increase from 2009. This major community event would not be possible without huge efforts from many individuals, organizations and our corporate sponsors.

Your participation in a community health fair is an excellent first step to actively taking charge of your overall health. Information obtained from local health fairs often leads to early detection of serious health issues. Early detection provides individuals more treatment options. Results from the fair have notified your friends and neighbors of early prostate cancer, possible skin cancer, iron deficiencies, thyroid conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure, early signs of osteoporoses as well as other conditions. While our community is by and large a healthy, active community participation in the Crested Butte Community Health Fair has saved lives. “Take Charge of Your Health” is a slogan we take to heart!

Thanks to the Queen of All Saints Church–Parish Hall for the use their facility for pre-draws. CBMR was instrumental this year and hosted the event in Mountaineer Square Conference Center. Thanks to Karen Fowler and the event staff at CBMR, you all made the location change smooth. Big thanks to Mountain Express for running early buses for volunteers and participants. Thanks to Wythina and Al and the Camp 4 staff for providing coffee for our volunteers.

Thanks to our corporate sponsors the Gunnison Valley Health and Community Banks of Colorado. In tough economic times, we appreciate the continued support of our corporate sponsors. Community Banks provides both financial support and the entire staff volunteers at the fair. The local health fairs are one way Gunnison Valley Health System demonstrates their commitment to the well being of the residents in our valley. Without Dan Marshall and Lauren Holbrook the fairs would not have expanded and grown to serve more individuals each year. Lauren and Dano each spend many hours taking pre-draw appointments, securing the new location, helping organize the fair, marketing and advertising, finding volunteers, lining up donations and with set up and take down.

The continued support and effort of Crested Butte Fire Protection District help to make this entire event possible every year. Local EMS workers and volunteers help us in emergencies throughout the year and provide support for the Crested Butte Community Health Fair. Many individuals of the local medical community volunteer each year including many nurses, EMT’s, doctors and P.A.’s. Thanks to Dr. Gareth Roberts, Dr. Sue Schappert and Dr. Joanne Huntington for their assistance at the fair this year. Crested Butte EMS Coordinator, Ross Orton coordinates volunteers and completes a substantial amount of behind the scenes work prior to the fair. For the last two years, Ross had been instrumental in organizing volunteers enabling us to implement pre-draws which have eased the overall burden of fair day. As Ross Orton prepares to leave our valley we send extra special heartfelt thanks to Ross. We will miss you Ross!

Special thanks to each of our non-medical volunteers. It is the forty plus volunteers who help with pre-draws, pre-fair organization, during the fair and post-fair that makes this event possible. We appreciate each and every one of you for your efforts and your great attitudes! You are what help make our community so cool and words cannot express our gratitude.

If you missed the Crested Butte fair please plan to attend the Gunnison Community Health Fair. Call Lauren or Dano now and set an early appointment for blood draw in Gunnison for early May. The Gunnison Health Fair is on May 22 at the Fred Field Building. Look for posters or ads in the local newspapers or call Dan Marshall or Lauren Holbrook at 641-0798 for more information.

Thank you and remember to take charge of your health!

 

Marla Covey and Lucy Zavala

Coordinators, Crested Butte Community Health Fair