There was a little wind as the vendors set up their tables at 9 a.m. for the Bakersfield College Health and Wellness Fair April 17.
Stacks of fliers and brochures, along with balloons, pencils and other free samples, covered the tables. About 45 booths were set up in the Free Speech area for the fair, which was open to BC students and staff, and the community.
People circulated across the lawn or sat in chairs at the testing booths. Some watched a demonstration by BC Athletic Training and Sports Medicine, or waited for a turn to get a massage from the Massage Training Institute. The Highway Patrol had a booth, and so did the Kern County Fire Department.
“What better way to express ourselves than at a health fair?” said KCFD Capt. Benny Wofford. “If you don’t protect yourself, if you don’t (do things like) test your detectors, if it doesn’t go off in case of a fire, you’re in grave danger. It’s always good to teach a fire safety message. You’ve got to be fire safe to even attempt to be healthy.”
Debra B. Strong, the college nurse from the Student Health Center, said the fair is provided for the staff and students to help them maintain their optimal health.
“We have blood pressure screenings, cholesterol screenings — all of this is provided to keep our students as healthy as possible to keep them in school,” she said. “That’s the reason we put this on. To give the students, staff and community some up-to-date health information.”
The slogan for the event was, “Remember, an apple a day isn’t enough, but healthy lifestyles are!”
The Pre-Med Club ran a table offering parenting magazines and lotions, but also fliers on the club.
“We’re kind of promoting getting a job in medicine, but since we know somebody who’s a pediatrician we can give away some stuff, too,” said Rana Khankan.
“The free stuff goes fast,” she said. “We’ve had at least 30 people stop by.”
That was in the first hour and a half alone.
Most of the booths were just trying to get information out. The booth for the Home Health Agency’s purpose was to let people know home health care is available, and also to let students know what’s out there in the community.
Jessica Wendrick, 24, had two reasons for coming to the health fair with her fellow student Amanda Sager.
“For one, to get our community resources for our child development class, and just to look around,” she said.
Elizabeth Favila, 19, said she came for the information.
“Just to inform myself of all the health things that are here in Bakersfield … to test blood pressure and the sugar, cholesterol and all that. It’s good, they have a lot of information. It’s something that not only helps us, but people in the community that want to come, it helps them, too.”
Tim Cantu, a graphic arts student, said he enjoyed the health fair.
“There’s a lot of information about cholesterol and glucose levels and stuff like that,” he said. “I like it very much, it’s very helpful and informative. It’s good for a lot of people that are coming out of class that are saying ‘Hey, I didn’t know there was a health fair,’ and they’re all rushing over here.”