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Pike County RSVP and Troy University Health and Wellness hosted a Serving America, Serving County Health and Wellness Fair on Thursday at the Bush Baptist Church Fellowship Center.

The fair was free and open to all senior citizens, ages 55 and older, and veterans.

Tammy Sneed-Ives, Pike RSVP director, and Troy University Department of Human Services, said the health and wellness fair, was held as a way of reaching the underserved and to highlight the relationship between RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and the Troy University Department of Human Services.

“The Health and Wellness Fair was designed to provide information to our senior adults that would be valuable   in different areas,” Sneed-Ives said.  “We were proud to have Randy Ross, Pike County Veterans Affairs officer, to provide information for our veterans.”

Ross expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the Health and Wellness Fair.

“With the presumptive conditions contained in the PACT act and the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, veterans and family members are seeking assistance and this affords us an opportunity to let them know where we are located and the services that are available to them.”

Sneed-Ives said the Wellness Fair had a representative from 2-1-1, which provides free information for non-emergency situations.

“It (2-1-1) provides information about physical and health resources, housing, utility, food and employment and suicide and crisis interventions,” she said.

The Troy School of Nursing provided health and nutrition information and also offered blood pressure checks.

RSVP offered information on COVID-19 and disaster preparedness and the three-day essential items essential in the event of a disaster.

“Of great importance is having readily available medical and contact information in the event of a medical emergency or an event where it was necessary to leave the home immediately,” Sneed-Ives said. “The wellness fair offered a check list that includes all the necessary information to be visibly posted (on the refrigerator) so it would be readily available in an emergency situation.”

Sneed said all information available at the Wellness Fair was well received by those who participated.

Jimmy and Dale Law were among those who took advantage of the Health and Wellness Fair.

“We received a lot of valuable information about health and services available to seniors,” Dale Law said.

“And we greatly appreciated the opportunity to know more about what is available to us as seniors,” Jimmy Law said.

And they both were very appreciative of the T-shirts, the informational handouts and the related “freebies” that were available.