Wishing well

PABLO — The SKC Center for Prevention and Wellness is doing its best to create and maintain a healthier community and well over 1,000 people felt good about it last week.

Women throughout the valley had the opportunity to knock out more than two birds with one stone thanks to organizations spanning from Kalispell to Missoula at the Women 4 Wellness Health Fair on Thursday, May 17 at SKC.

The free event gave ladies a chance to converge on the Joe McDonald Health Center to receive checkups, ranging from mammograms to bone density scans and oral exams, while talking with vendors about ways they can stay healthy.

“The event is for women to understand their health and identify their health needs,” said Niki Graham, director of the center. “A lot of women are uninsured and many women don’t make the time to go get screens, so this is kind of a one-stop shop.”

In its fourth year, the event has grown each year to staggering numbers, filling the gymnasium and the upstairs cafeteria.

“It’s been growing every year,” Graham said. “It started with 800 participants, last year we had 1,100 and this year, we were shooting for 1,500. We’ve definitely exceeded last year’s total.

“It brings community people together and providers from Kalispell to Missoula,” Graham added.

Charlotte Green of FLABuLESS U in Polson, was one of those people promoting her business, which aims to make fitness fun and people healthier.

“We have motorized calisthenics machines, which we want people to be aware of,” Green said. “One hour on those is the equivalent of seven hours of floor exercises.”

While vendors pay for spots at the event, Women 4 Wellness is able to remain free for those who attend because of funding from the Office of Women’s Health, as well as corporate and area sponsors. Over 100 volunteers also donate time to help the day run smoothly.

Upon receiving a carotid screening, EKG or any of the other free tests provided, women could seek out agencies on hand if further work needed to be done.

Another aspect of the health fair was the community challenge, in which two organizations in need of assistance are chosen by the center to receive baskets of items they need throughout the year, filled by individuals and businesses. This year, SAFE Harbor and Mission Valley Animals were spotlighted by the center.

After seeing well over 1,000 people on Thursday, Graham was hoping to receive feedback from participants who attended, in the hopes of making next year’s event as successful as possible.

“It would be helpful to know, did we change your life or did we make a difference?” Graham said.

Those wishing to provide feedback can send their thoughts to prevention@skc.edu.