WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) – Spring Forward to Health community health fair was hosted by Beebe Chapel CME Church on Sunday. The goal of the health fair was to give people the opportunity to live healthy lives.
“So it’s great on living a healthy lifestyle, obviously,” said Kelly Ange, Community Health Improvement coordinator for Vidant Beaufort Hospital. “But knowing your numbers such as your blood pressure, BMI, those sorts of things, they can be key indicators for any sort of health conditions such as high blood pressure, chronic disease, that sort of thing. So knowing those numbers and having a check on those is really great for prevention.”
A co-sponsor of the event was Beaufort County Healthy Clergy Congregation and Community, also known as BCH3C. The Beaufort County Health Department attended the screening to provide resources that can help create healthier lifestyles.
“Just because we don’t have cash in hand we can see that there is help for us when we really need it,” said Helen Warren, community health worker at Beebe Chapel CME Church. “And we’re trying to get the help before it’s a dire need.”
Beebe Chapel CME Church was one of the churches in Beaufort County that received a grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to enhance underserved neighborhoods to promote health first.
One of the ways the church wants to use the grant is by hosting events such as the free health screening.
“Now is the time to pay attention to your numbers, pay attention to how you feel, and then respond to that by either seeing someone and going sure that you understand that we are the best advocate for ourselves,” said Joneice Carroll, Pastor at Beebe Chapel CME Church. “No one can do that better than us.”
Organizers said with everything going on including Covid-19, they are trying to do as much as they can to put their community members first.
