Head Start health event a success

For the first time, Head Start hosted a Health and Safety Fair at its Rock Spring facility last week.

Despite the event taking place in Rock Springs, Green River Head Start children and parents were invited to and attended the event.

Erin Barbuto, Head Start family and community partnerships manager, said this event was put together by the Head Start Health Services Advisory Committee, which consists of parents, employees and community members.

“In spite of the spring snowstorm, we had a good turnout of about 70 children and adults in addition to volunteers and representatives from 19 different organizations,” Barbuto said. “We even had some families from the general public drop in after seeing the event listed on our school Facebook page.”

This event was hosted to help families become more acquainted with community resources health and safety-related services such as WIC, Parents As Teachers and Sweetwater County Emergency Management.

“They also received valuable information from each presenter that is relevant to parenting young children,” Barbuto said.

For example, families were taught how to keep children safe from online predators from one speaker, while Sweetwater County School District No. 1 school nurses shared information about teaching self-care to children. Parents also learned how to pick out correct car seats for their children.

“Families also received some free gifts such as free bike helmets from (the) Rock Springs Police Department, free smoke alarms from Fire District No. 1, and many great health and safety themed gift baskets which were given as door prizes,” Barbuto said.

“I think they enjoyed all of it, but some of the highlights for kids were seeing Sparky the Fire Dog from the Rock Springs Fire Department and Smokey the Bear from the Bureau of Land Management,” she said.

They also made healthy smoothies by pedaling a unique bicycle brought by the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and they were able to see the germs on their hands under a black light with the Rock Springs High School Health Academy students.

Due to the success of this event, Head Start will probably host another event like this one in the future.