Community Health Partnership of Illinois offered a four-hour back-to-school wellness fair on Friday morning in Aurora that included giving away up to 100 backpacks filled with school supplies as well as offering school and sports physicals.
The first-time event at Community Health Partnership at 157 S. Lincoln Ave. in Aurora also included snacks, music and a dance performance by Ballet Folklorico Yunuen.
Organizers said before the event that the new offering was launched in an effort to better serve the community as well as expand awareness about the Community Health Partnership group.
Erin Navarro, community worker for the partnership, said this was the first time doing a back-to-school event “as we have a new coordinator and she decided we would do it this year.”
“We used to be a clinic just for agricultural workers in the past, but since the pandemic in 2020 we are open to all the community, but many people don’t know we are open for all ages and all people in general,” Navarro said.
Navarro said the 100 backpacks that were given away at the event were provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield and were available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We are also cooperating with Kane County Health Department regarding vaccines,” she said before the event. “We are also doing physicals and offering information from other organizations.”
One of those groups involved in the event was the University of Illinois Extension.
Krista Bagley, a community outreach worker for University of Illinois Extension, said its program offered at the event is called “Eat, Move, Save.”
“What we do is we teach people how to eat healthier, to move in order to get the required exercise. Kids need 60 minutes a day and adults 30,” she said. “We also talk about food tips including how to shop better and make your money last longer.”
During the early stages of Friday’s event, Bagley said that foot traffic “has been very nice.”
“A lot of the little kids and parents have stopped by. It’s awesome,” she said as she showed some mothers how much sugar is in ordinary snacks.
John Gadzekbo of Aurora was with his family at the event.
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“We are looking for backpacks and school supplies in general,” he said as he and his family visited some booths. “I know that this group is helping more members of the community than they used to. As far as back-to-school things, it’s kind of tough for us. We needed to get the school supplies, and getting them here makes things easier and cheaper.”
Jovanna Castaneda of Aurora and her daughter, Isla, 13, were likewise at the fair.
Isla said she goes to Waldo Middle School in Aurora and that she has attended back-to-school events before and knows what’s important.
“You need binders, folders, and sketch books,” she said. “I hope they have those here.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.