About 700 local children in need received a free backpack full of school supplies at the annual Jefferson County Health and Education Fair, held Aug. 1 at the Jefferson College Field House in Hillsboro, said Harper Zielonko, a development specialist at Disability Resource Association, one of the sponsors.
Also, the children were treated to free health screenings, haircuts and lunch.
The Jefferson County Health and Education Committee, which is made up of local nonprofit groups and health agencies, including the DRA, has put on the fair for more than 20 years.
This year, more than 35 vendors participated, providing information about services available to families in need.
In addition to the free backpack filled with age-appropriate school supplies that each child received, 486 children got dental screenings, 140 got hearing screenings and 122 got vision screenings. Also, 180 children got haircuts.
All the children also received books and were served to a free lunch, provided by Operation Food Search.
The children were from all around the county, Zielonko said.
She said some are referred by school districts and others are registered through the committee, which raises money throughout the year to fund the fair.
Registration for the 2014 fair will open in January.
For more information about the next fair, go to the committee’s Facebook page or the DRA’s website at disabilityresourceassociation.org. Or, call the DRA at 636-931-7696.
