Vendors and people from throughout Faulkner County packed the Conway Human Development Center (CHDC) gymnasium to participate in its 14th annual health fair.
During the fair, screenings for Fibromyalgia, blood pressure, hearing, cholesterol, and dental were available. A total of 45 vendors presented health and wellness information to nearly 400 visitors, including center residents and community members.

                 
Fair-goers could tour an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter, win prizes through raffle ticket drawings, and get a chance to dip center superintendent Sarah Murphy in a water dunk booth.

 
“We always love to have involvement of people from around the Conway area,” said Elizabeth Molica the center’s volunteer services coordinator. “So hosting the health fair was an opportunity for the community to visit the vendors, meet our residents, and get a better idea of what we do.”

Through the Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, the center is one of Arkansas’ five residential training facilities for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities. The facility works with community-based programs administering services to residents.

Molica, and her CHDC co-workers, stay on the lookout for activities that give center residents access to social interactions with the larger community. So events like the health fair, gives the center – which has just over 500 residents – another chance to maintain a great relationship with the people of Conway and the surrounding areas.

“Getting the support of the community makes a difference, as we can offer even more learning opportunities and social activities for our residents by involving the community and letting them use their skills and talents to help us,” Molica said.

Smoked sausage lunches were sold during the fair. Also, people paid money for the opportunity to dunk Murphy. The money raised went to the facility’s Special Olympics group. Some of the team members will be compete in the Special Olympics USA games in Seattle July 1-6.

    
“We gave our athletes and coaches a chance to hold fundraisers during the fair to make money, but to also let the community know that we have athletes on campus who they can support,” Molica said.  

Jamie Tipton and Julie Yang are University of Central Arkansas Health Education majors who intern at the center. The duo helped Molica plan the fair.

 
“What I enjoyed most is helping people get health services or health information,” Yang said. “Making the fair open to the public put a lot of people in position to learn more about health and wellness options and ways to live a healthier life.”

“I loved watching the residents have a good time,” Tipton said. “I enjoyed seeing the residents having fun because this center is their home. We always want residents to feel included in the activities. We also want to give them a chance to socialize with people who don’t live or work at the center.”

       
For more information about the CHDC go to https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/about-dhs/ddds/human-development-centers/conway-hdc.

Caption: The Conway Human Development Center Health Fair was planned by (from left) Jamie Tipton (intern), Julie Yang (intern), and Elizabeth Molica, the center’s volunteer services coordinator.