The seventh annual Sweet Home Health Fair, put on by community member Bob Dalton, saw roughly 400 people attend, Aug. 17.
The visitors were greeted by Sweet Home Emergency Ministries who contributed backpacks for the backpack giveaway. This annual event had 36 tables this year with representatives from 35 different organizations. These tables were set up in front of the former Linn-Benton Community College.
One of those tables was set up by a 211 representative, Shannon Rose. This table focused on information about what services they provide. 211 is a nation-wide information and referral service that helps connect communities and families with needed resources.
One family attending, Nicholas Webster and his two kids, took notice of the health fair through Facebook. According to Webster, his kids were able to receive both backpacks and school supplies thanks to this year’s fair.
Dalton, the event coordinator, is a long-time Sweet Home resident. He has actually lived here his entire life and has always had a passion for environmental health and safety. Being vice chair for the Sweet Home Health committee and being a network person, Dalton has continued this fair for seven years.
“The community [as a whole] I look at what are the needs,” Dalton stated. “The needs are helping people out, and bringing health services to them that they may not know were here; [showing people] what’s available to them.”
This year’s organizations included: Sweet Home Senior Center- Shuttle, FAC, Linn County Alcohol & Drug Treatment Program, Lebanon Area Mental Health Alliance, Exodus Behavioral Health Services, Linn County Mental Health Services- Sweet Home, Linn County Health Services- Sweet Home, SHS Lebanon Community Hospital- Girod Birth Center, Sweet Home Parks & Recreation, Linn Together, Sweet Home Swim Team, Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care, Sweet Home Public Library, Oregon Department of Human Services, Oregon Cascades West Council of Government (Ride Line), Community Services Consortium – CSC, Health Care for All Oregon Linn County, 211, Samaritan Treatment and Recovery, SHS Sweet Home Family Health Medicine, Samaritan Evergreen Hospice, Jackson Street Youth Services, Western University Health Sciences (1 & 2), Linn Benton Housing Authority, One 2 Another, Family Tree Nursery, Kidco Head Start, TOPS – Weight Loss Program, Community Health Centers of Benton County, Love INC. and Sweet Home Emergency Ministries.
