GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Orchard Hospital threw its annual Health Fair last Wednesday, October 26^th, in front of the Medical Specialty Center located on Spruce St.  As the event grows and evolves each year to include more health resources, there is something informative and interesting for everyone in our community.

As always, guests were encouraged to partake in all the educational and health & wellness booths. Guests registered and received a form qualifying them for a chance to enter to win a free Apple watch, a gift basket overflowing with diapers, or coveted Dutch Brothers gift-cards. The only stipulation was that each guest wishing to enter the drawing was required to visit all of the booths, getting stamps or being signed off at each.

Booths included free A-1C testing for diabetes, Free Flu-shots, Free eye-exams courtesy of the Lions International Club, education on organ donorship with the ladies from Donor Network West, information on sleep studies with Sleep Innovations, information on Orchard’s 3-D mammography and more. Of course, our Gridley Cal-Fire firefighters were on hand, showing hands-on what is required to be a firefighter and letting the little ones experience the engine, even sitting inside the cabin.

Orchard Hospital’s partnership with Gridley High School has developed a program in which students get to follow health professionals, learning the ins-and-outs about what it is like to make a career in the industry. The group of excited high school students were present at this year’s event and made the rounds to each booth, volunteering and helping where possible.

Music, Face-painting and free-food was available for all in attendance. If you missed it this year, be on the lookout for next year’s event. The Health Fair is typically held on a Wednesdays in mid-late October and runs until 6 pm to give those who work a chance to drop in.