Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - 'Family, family, family' promoted at health fair

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Sunday, August 27, 2000

'Family, family, family' promoted at health fair
Event offered free immunizations as well as admission to the Texas State Aquarium
By Jason Ma
Caller-Times
"Family" and "free" were the themes Saturday for a youth health fair at the Texas State Aquarium that featured 34 health and social service organizations.
   Sponsored by Youth Opportunities United, the fair aimed to bring together children and their parents to inform them of the services available in the community. Free immunizations and medical exams were offered in addition to free admission to the aquarium.
   "That's what we're trying to promote: family, family, family," YOU program coordinator Elaine Giovannini said. "There are lots of after school programs, but they don't reach the family at home."
   She said parents must get involved in the community to better serve the needs of youth. Free admission to the aquarium is a good way to bring kids and parents together.
   To get in free, a family must have visited at least 10 of the 34 booths. Giovannini estimated that about 1,500 families attended the fair, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. About 40 volunteers helped run the fair.
   Youth, particularly between the ages of 11 and 15, need to find out about services available to them as they begin a new academic year, she said.
   "There is help out for them," she said.
   Corpus Christi Mayor Loyd Neal, Sheriff Larry Olivarez, and representatives from the Kenedy Foundation and the United Way attended the fair.
   Olivarez echoed the family-oriented focus of the event and said the overall efforts of YOU are meant to improve student achievement, reduce teen pregnancy and alleviate the effects of poverty and dysfunctional families.
   The lure of free aquarium admission worked to bring in many families.
   "They said this was free," Pete Saldaña said after he received a posture examination at the Injury Care Chiropractic booth.
   Saldaña brought four of his six children and said he did not know about the services presented on Saturday.
   Erica Valdez, 16, arrived with her family because her little brother wanted to see the aquarium. About to begin her junior year at Ray High School, she said she was glad to find out a counseling service will be available at her school.
   "Many kids do need someone to talk to," she said. "I didn't know about this stuff before."


Staff writer Jason Ma can be reached at 886-3778 or by e-mail at maj@caller.com

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