2013 Cesar Chavez Health Fair

Join us at the Cesar Chavez Health Fair!
Saturday, April 6, 2013 10am - 2pm
Cook Middle School, 2480 Sebastopol Rd. in Santa Rosa 

It's Springtime, and at CalSERVES that means we're gearing up for the annual Cesar Chavez Health Fair. We've been hosting the Health Fair every year since 2000, and there is a lot of time and energy poured into this event by our dedicated staff and AmeriCorps members!

In 2000, California declared March 31st as Cesar Chavez Day, and AmeriCorps programs throughout the state were invited to create a day of service around this new holiday. Chavez was known for his championing of those that are under-served, and so the folks at CalSERVES decided one of the best ways to honor him would be to bring health services to those who needed it the most.

This year, our event is focused on Dental Health and Nutrition. Tooth decay is the #1 childhood disease, 4 times more common than asthma. And many children don't have insurance and access to dental care. With a partnership with St. Joseph's Health Care System of Sonoma County, our fair will provide screenings and treatments for children ages 0-18, including follow up care where needed.

In addition to vising the dentist, families at our fair can learn how nutrition plays a role in healthy teeth and healthy bodies, accessing information from organizations throughout the county.

All services are offered free of charge, and the event includes free samples of healthy snacks and drinks, fun and games for children, and much more!

Join us at the Fair!
Saturday, April 6, 2013 10am - 2pm
Cook Middle School, 2480 Sebastopol Rd. in Santa Rosa

For more information, please visit the CalSERVES website: www.calserves.org

A big THANK YOU to the sponsors of the Cesar Chavez Health Fair!
First 5 Sonoma County
St. Joseph's Health Care System of Sonoma County
Network for a Healthy California

by Emily Mann, Health Fair Coordinator

Destination: After School

Shannon Irish and Katie Gill, CalSERVES AmeriCorps Content Leaders,
with their prizes from the After School Conference

“Twenty years from now, the kids you currently serve won’t remember much of what you said to them, but they’ll all recall how you made them feel.” These were just some of the opening remarks and inspirational lessons given to the attendees of the March 2nd, Region 1 After School Conference in Fortuna, CA by keynote speaker Charlie Appelstein.

 The conference was composed of several workshops ranging from Healthy Behaviors to Engineering Robotics. The keynote speaker, Charlie Appelstein, gave a very powerful talk on Strength-Based Behavior Management. He also held a workshop, which further elaborated on his keynote address and book “No Such Thing As a Bad Kid!”

Charlie’s speech provided attendees with endless ways to positively enrich student’s lives. At one point he stated: “A positive attitude sends the message: I want to be here. I care about you. I believe in you. And I know you will succeed. Which all leads to hope, happiness, and success! Hope is humanity’s fuel.” His stories and strategies were filled with tears, laughter, and knowledge. If you’re staying in the field of education, we highly suggest going to his website to learn more about his techniques and theories: www.charliea.com.

Some other interesting workshops that were given at the conference included: Rescuing Recess Game, 4-H Robotics, Photo Voice, Learning Activities to Felicitate Hard Middle School Topics, Feel the Force with Charlie Alperstein, Creating Art on the Cheap, and Fun Games on the Fly. Additionally, our very own Kristen Mowers had the privilege to lead a workshop about Nutrition Education.

At the end of the conference, our program was put into a drawing to win educational prizes. We were lucky and won one of the raffle prizes that consisted of 6 board games, books, science activities, and gym equipment.

 Between meeting new people, enjoying the booming town of Fortuna, and learning lots of useful information, we all greatly enjoyed the conference.

by Katie Gill, CalSERVES AmeriCorps Content Leader