Central Washington Health & Wellness Expo returns September 27

MOSES LAKE - Basin residents will get the chance to meet with local and regional healthcare professionals during the Central Washington Health and Wellness Expo next month.

The annual event features free health screenings, talks from health care experts and various activities for children.

More than 1,000 people attended last year's expo, which also featured about 60 vendors - including hospitals, independent clinics and health insurance providers.

The 2014 expo takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 27 at Big Bend Community College's ATEC Building. Admission to the event is free.

Expo coordinator Tera Redwine said the event is a chance for people to learn more about preventative health care as well as the new health care marketplace, Medicare, senior services and other health care programs.

"It's a great opportunity to listen to different speakers, ask questions of health care providers and take advantage of various health screenings like vision, dental, hearing and high blood pressure," she said.

There are also plenty of ways to keep kids entertained during the expo. Medstar and the Grant County Fire Department will be at the event, and kids can check out the Medstar helicopter and the fire department's truck. There will also be a dedicated Kids Zone at the expo, where kids can participate in a coloring contest and play jump rope and other games, she said.

The first 325 children into the expo will also receive a free teddy bear and get to participate in the Teddy Bear Clinic.

Janet Baker, of Confluence Health, said the Teddy Bear Clinic is a fun and interactive way for kids to get used to the idea of going to the doctor.

"We're setting up an environment that will hopefully alleviate their fear of the medical setting," she said. "We want them to not be afraid to go to the doctor."

Baker said kids will take their teddy bears through various stations of the clinic. They'll start with having their bears get a wellness checkup, then take them to get immunized and eventually have them get an X-ray done. They'll also go through a healthy eating station, where they will learn about portions and food groups, she said.

Big Bend's Dollar Dash 5k Run/Walk will also take place during the expo. Proceeds from the race help fund student scholarships.

The race starts at 8 a.m., outside the ATEC Building. It costs $25 for adults to run the race and $15 for those under 18.

Tickets are available at the college library, business office and foundation center as well as at the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce office and the city's Parks and Rec office.

Redwine said attendees of this year's expo will also have the chance to win several prizes including gift cards from Tri State Outfitters and Costco, tablets from Inland Cellular, Wii Fit game systems and Surf 'n Slide passes.

The expo is sponsored by Samaritan Healthcare, Confluence Health, Health Alliance, Moses Lake Community Health Center, Horizon Credit Union, Columbia Basin Hospital and the Columbia Basin Herald.