Monica LaSalle, Nederland.   This past weekend was the annual 9 News Health Fair, which typically aims to serve up to 200 residents each year. This year, despite lower than average numbers, Community Center Manager Dawn Baumhover and Peak to Peak Housing and Human Service Alliance Coordinator Janette K. Taylor declare the event successful.

While the Health Fair offered low cost blood draws and free diagnostic booths for everything from hearing and stress to dental needs, The Nederland Food Pantry distributed 80 Thanksgiving Supplemental Food Bags in addition to gift certificates to B&F Mountain Market to clients, with more expected to be picked up this week for a total of 100 bags.

The 6th annual Human Services Fair was also held at the event, featuring 18 human services organizations with multiple enrollment specialists on site to assist people with enrollment forms, advice as well as gift certificates and information packets. Some examples of organizations in attendance are Boulder County Medicaid and Connect for Health, SNAP and Emergency Family Assistance Association along with Canyon Cares and The Center for People with Disabilities. There were also senior specific organizations such as Senior Reach, TRU Pace and Boulder County Area Agency on Aging and of course our Nederland Area Seniors. Dentaquest distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste with their list of dental connections for those on Medicaid. VIA Mobility Services as well as Boulder County’s Mobility for All set up to educate anyone in need of transportation assistance. Peak to Peak Counseling had their entire staff in attendance, participating in both the Health Fair and Human Services Fair.

For those of you who missed the event, service information can be found on websites such as https://www.bouldercounty.org/departments/housing-and-human-services/ or 303-441-1000 , efaa.org or 303-442-3042, viacolorado.org or 303-447-4848.

(Originally published in the November 15, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)