02 Aug
by Derrick Vander Waal
SIOUX CENTER, IOWA – Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center is throwing another Back-to-School Block Party.
SIOUX CENTER, IOWA – Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center is throwing another Back-to-School Block Party.
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| Face painting and various other activities will be offered for families for the annual Back-to-School Block Party 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center. |
Promise will take care of all of the health screening requirements that children need for school – immunizations, dental and vision screens, and school and sports physicals – in one convenient format. Plus, it will offer free food and fun for the whole family.
The health center, located at 338 1st Ave. NW, across the street from the Sioux Center city office, will host its annual Back-to-School Block Party 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. The event also celebrates National Health Center Week, which is Aug. 7-13.
“The Back-to-School Block Party is an event that serves many purposes,” said Vicki Schrock, clinic manager for Promise, noting the full range of health screenings offered to students, including new vision screenings this year, and fun family activities to make it a memorable evening. “Promise is working together to deliver a healthier community, and this event fits within that vision perfectly.”
The Back-to-School Block Party is open to all area students and their families. No appointments are necessary in advance.
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| Free dental screenings, vision screenings and immunizations that are required for school, along with $20 sports physicals, will be offered at Promise Community Health Center’s annual Back-to-School Block Party 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. |
At the event, Promise will offer the following health services:
- Free immunizations that students are required to have for school;
- Free dental screenings that are required for students entering kindergarten and ninth grade;
- Free vision screenings (3-6 p.m.) that are required for students entering kindergarten and third grade;
- $20 school and sports physicals.
Bilingual Sioux Center School District representatives will be available to help Spanish-speaking parents register their children for school. Sioux Center Health representatives will provide car seat safety checks again this year, so people are encouraged to bring their vehicles with car seats to the event.
Promise also will give out free drawstring bags filled with school and hygiene supplies to the first 150 children. A $500 grant from the Walmart Foundation and a donation of dental supplies from Delta Dental helped to make the project possible.
After families complete the screenings, they will be invited into the parking area and alley behind Promise’s building for the block party food and fun. KSOU Radio will serve free hot dogs, chips and Coca-Cola. Cinema 5 Theatres will provide popcorn.
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| KSOU Radio personalities will serve a free hot dog meal for the annual Back-to-School Block Party 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center. |
Several organizations from the community will present booths with interactive and educational activities for children and families. Face painting, skee ball, sidewalk chalk and bubbles, and coloring and crafts also will be provided.
“We want to provide students with all the health services that they need before the next school year begins, but we also want this to be an enjoyable family outing,” said Derrick Vander Waal, public relations and development coordinator for Promise. “We invite families to come out and have a good time. The number of people who attend the block party grows every year.”
Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is the only Federally Qualified Health Center in the far northwest corner of Iowa. Promise provides medical, prenatal, dental, vision and behavioral health services. To learn more, visit www.promisechc.org and watch this video. To read more Promise news, visit promisechcnews.blogspot.com.
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| Several community organizations will offer interactive activities at Promise Community Health Center’s Back-to-School Block Party on Wednesday, Aug. 17. |
AT A GLANCE:
What: Back-to-School Block Party
When: 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17
Where: Promise Community Health Center, 338 1st Ave. NW, Sioux Center
What: Promise will offer free immunizations, dental screens and vision screens that students need for school and $20 school and sports physicals. Sioux Center School District staff will assist Spanish-speaking students with registering for school, and Sioux Center Health staff will offer car-seat safety checks. Free drawstring bags filled with school and hygiene supplies will be handed out to the first 150 students. The event also will include free food, games and activities offered by various area businesses and organizations.
Why: The event helps ensure students are prepared for school.
Contact: For more information, call Promise at 712-722-1700.
ABOUT NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK:
National Health Center Week is Aug. 7-13. The 2016 theme is: “Celebrating America’s Health Centers: Innovators in Community Health.”
National Health Center Week celebrates the history of community health centers providing affordable, high-quality and cost-effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people throughout the United States, regardless of their insurance or ability to pay. More than 24 million Americans are served by a network of more than 1,200 community health centers.
Promise Community Health Center, one of 14 community health centers in Iowa, opened in 2008 as a nonprofit health center and earned its status as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in 2012. During 2015, Promise cared for a record 3,071 patients who received a comprehensive array of health services that includes medical, prenatal, dental, vision and behavioral health care.
