BANDON – Ocean Crest Elementary School’s first-ever Health, Wellness, and Safety Fair was a success, drawing over 300 people, including students, their parents and siblings.
Held Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Ocean Crest gym, the Health Fair was the idea of School Nurse Karrie Devine, who organized the event, along with the help of Ocean Crest staff and many other volunteers.
The theme was “Be Strong, Be Healthy, Be Happy” and Devine invited local health and fitness organizations, local first-responders, police and other agencies to the event.
Elementary students received a “passport” that was stamped by representatives at each booth. There was fun swag the students could collect, as well as food provided by Lori Osborne of Farm & Sea and a drawing was held to give away four bikes, provided by the Bandon Lions Club.
Participating in the event were the Bandon Fire Department, the Bandon Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, Core 10 Fitness, Coast Community Health Center, Advantage Dental, Bandon Vision Center, and Master Gardening with the OSU Extension Service.
Face-painting, yoga exercises and fire hose demonstrations (outside) were some of the activities.
Sponsors included Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center and the Southern Coos Health Foundation, which provides the Bandon School Nurse Program through a cooperative partnership with the Bandon School District; Bandon Lions Club; Roger Straus; Freedom Graphics; Bandon Rotary Club; and Joseph Bain/Bain Insurance Agency.
Many volunteers from Ocean Crest also made the event possible.
“I want to thank everyone for such a wonderfully successful event,” said Ocean Crest Principal Courtney Wehner. “What a great first-year event! We are so fortunate to have the supports we do from our community and partnerships. The kids said to me, ‘We have to do this every February Mrs. Wehner!’
“Thank you for coming out and showing your support in more ways than one. Karrie, you did a phenomenal job planning this event that kept getting bigger and bigger.
“We would not have been able to do what we did without the financial supports from our sponsors. What a great day to be a part of Bandon and Ocean Crest,” Wehner said.