10th health fair offers free screenings, info

Celebrating Life and Health

Where: Sinclair Ponitz Center, Building 12, 444 W. Third St., Dayton

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today

Cost: Free, but ticket required

Transportation: Free RTA rides with ticket

Information: Call (937) 223-LIFE (5433) or visit www.levinfamily foundation.org

DAYTON — One of the nation’s largest free community health fairs celebrates its 10th anniversary today, returning to Sinclair Community College’s Ponitz Center with a full day of screenings, meals, entertainment and giveaways.

Celebrating Life and Health, headed by the Levin Family Foundation, provides free health care testing and education to about 5,000 people each year.

Topics and testing cover a range of health concerns, including cancers, cholesterol, diabetes, vision, hearing, HIV, blood pressure, depression, anxiety and osteoporosis. Displays will cover nutrition, first aid, disaster preparedness and fire and tornado safety.

“We’re very excited about the 10th anniversary and how many people we’ve served over the past nine years,” said Debbie Fox of the foundation.

Since its launch, the event has provided more than 245,000 free health screenings, with each attendee taking an average of seven tests.

“This is the first time that I’ve said to myself, ‘I’m not going to worry about whether people are going to show up,’ ” said Foundation Executive Director Karen Levin. “The very first time, I spent a very uncomfortable 24 hours wondering if anyone would come.”

While the festival has grown — more than 12,000 tickets had been mailed out as of last week, Fox said — the need has also grown. In 2011, of those surveyed at the event, 41 percent were unemployed, 33 percent had no insurance, 64 percent had an income level of below $20,000. Nearly 40 percent were on Medicare or Medicaid.

A record 60 vendors will provide help or information this year, including the event’s first screening for dermal, oral, neck and head cancer.

Entertainment will be provided by the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Ronald McDonald and roaming entertainers. Food will be available throughout the event.

Giveaways this year include bike helmets and children’s books. And the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and SICSA will provide a limited number of free spay/neutering certificates.

Contact contributing writer Ria Megnin at ria@riamegnin.com.