The Franklin Regional School District has a Health Services Department. But when school district officials began discussing the idea of a health and wellness fair, they decided to expand beyond the student body.
The district’s April 29 Community Health Fair will be open to the public and feature more than 40 local health and wellness vendors behind Franklin Regional Middle School from 4 to 7 p.m.
Franklin Area Secondary Schools said, “While we have attempted to reach out to families about individual events in the past, our school district is the heart of our community and to be a one-stop shop for events like this. There are many resources available to help.” Beth Friedrich, a school nurse.
One of those resources is the University of Pittsburgh’s “Maximizing All Potentials” program, which offers social service workers like Carla Kelly and Georgette Ayers. We conduct research, public services, and training to prevent youth drug and alcohol use and promote youth mental health.
“We’ve done a few events before, but never on this scale,” Kelly said. “We thought, if we’re going to do it anyway, let’s gather as many community resources as we can at once.”
Vendors include everything from Sage’s Army, a drug recovery nonprofit, to Renfrew Eating Disorders Center, Westmoreland County Behavioral Health Administration, Westmoreland Case Management, and emergency service providers such as Murrysville Medic One and local fire companies. Includes health and wellness providers from all walks of life.
“We also wanted to incorporate student clubs centered around health and wellness, such as the FR vs. Cancer Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and the Caring Team (for grieving students),” Kelly said. Told.
The public nature of the fair also meant providing resources to older adults in the area.
“Murrysville Medic One will focus on recognizing the signs of stroke and cardiac emergencies,” Friedrich said. “Also, other vendors such as Murrysville Garden Club and Stretch Lab in Murrysville will also be able to provide information.”
“We want to make sure people know this is a public community event,” said Tina Gillen, Franklin Regional Communications Director.
Additionally, Fridrich said there will be plenty of activities to get attendees excited, including pickleball and cornhole.
“It’s a win-win for us and for local businesses,” she says. “This is a great way for them to introduce themselves to the community. I think there’s something for people of all ages.”
The fair will be held April 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Franklin Regional Middle School, 4660 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville.
For more information, visit FRSDk12.org, email ckelly@frsdk12.org, or call 724-327-5456.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. A native of Western Pennsylvania, he joined the tribe in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor for the former Dover Post in Delaware. Contact him at pvarine@triblive.com.
