In celebration of Health Week, the Marram Health Center put on an event this Saturday for the residents of Gary to empower families in their journey to be healthy and happy. The HealthFest was packed with fun activities for everyone, from a clown with a bright red nose painting children's faces to physical activities like jump rope contests, tug of war, fishing games, hula hoops, and sack racing.
President and CEO of Porter-Starke Services Matthew Burden was in charge of the jump rope station for the day. His goal, in partnership with Marram Health Center, was to encourage health and wellness for the Gary community.
“The hope is to bring people together and give them information about various health activities and organizations,” Burden said.
Even the police officers on duty took part in the activities and played tug of war. The Gary SouthShore Railcats mascot, Rusty the Railcat, came and pumped everyone's energy up. Families were smiling and having a great time as Marram Health Center celebrated people having accessible, affordable healthcare. During the event, everyone was provided with information on education and health, and backpacks, bookmarks, and locks were given to the children as they prepared for the new school year. There were also free health screenings.
"We are always looking for something to do for the kids, and this is a good event for them," said Larry Jonhson, an attendee.
Radio station WSRB 106.3 on-air personality Darryll King and her team made an appearance, contributed their music, and held a fun raffle game for the attendees.
"What you put into the community is what you get," said King. "We're excited to be here; our focus is on improving the community."
Lakeisha Bridgeman, Community Engagement Marketing Coordinator for the Gary Community Library, attended the HealthFest to support both the education and health of Gary's youth.
“Our library is a good resource for health, wellness, and education," said Bridgeman. "We hope to keep encouraging learning as well as health."
Families gathered around to eat hot dogs, lasagna, and other snacks, while kids debated whether they want a hot dog or burger. A few children and adults were dressed as heroic superheroes while they ate, mirroring the heroic efforts by the local organizations to benefit the health and wellbeing of the Gary community.
"I care about my community and people’s health," said Marram Health Center’s Outreach Coordinator, Nina Johnson. "We come together as a family to come up with innovative ways to give people healthcare."
This whole event wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of the volunteers, Marram Health Center, Indiana Unversity Northwest, Porter-Starke Services, and Anthem Healthcare Center. It was an incredibly fun event that gave back to the community by educating them on wellness and health.
For more information on Marram Health Center, visit www.marramhealth.org.