Cove Health Fair open to general public for first time

By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press 

Figuring out ways to get healthy and connecting with the right resources to help you do so can be difficult. 
For the last few years, the Copperas Cove Health Fair has provided city employees with the opportunity to meet and learn more about the various health and wellness resources in our area. 
This year, for the first time, the health fair was open to the general public.
The event was held at the Copperas Cove Civic Center from 9 a.m. until noon on Wednesday. 34 booths offered a variety of health and wellness options. Various booths covered the medical side of staying healthy including Seton Medical Center, AdventHealth, Integrity Rehab + Home Health, and other medical facilities covering a variety of needs. Some offered various health screenings such as blood pressure, BMI, and lifting mechanics. Some focused on getting in shape such as Gold’s Gym, Self Defense America, and Altitude Trampoline Park. The Healthy Hub and others offered healthy dietary options. 
There were also tables from restaurants like Chipotle and Chick-fil-A showcasing the healthier side of their menus. Outside of the Civic Center, Baylor Scott & White accepted blood donations throughout the event.
For city employees, the event awarded points for both the Cove Fit and the GO365 Wellness Programs. 
“All of these things are designed to teach our employees more about their health so that they start having proactive care instead of reactive care,” said the city’s Director of Human Resources, Jeff Davis. “The impact to the city is seen in health care costs. The average health care increase in the Metroplex area was about 8 percent and our health insurance (costs) over the last three years has decreased 20 percent
Davis attributed the fact that they are educating their employees, getting them engaged in wellness, and getting them to be proactive rather than reactive. He said that he wanted open the Health Fair to the general public so that they can potentially see the same benefits that the city employees already receive.
“We care about the community which is why we’re opening it to everybody,” said Davis.
Copperas Cove’s Chief of Police and the Wellness Committee Chairman, Eddie Wilson, said that the Health Fair began as part of the Wellness Program for city employees. They incentivize employees by giving them points for attending and raffle tickets to give them a chance to earn prizes. He said that it allows the employees to learn more about the resources available to them that they may otherwise never have heard of.
“The businesses love it because they’re not just taking the free stuff and leaving, they are actually talking to them about the businesses and they’re picking up clients and customers. It’s a win-win for both sides,” said Chief Wilson.
Deputy Chief Gary Young of the Copperas Cove Fire Department talked about CodeRED, one of various booths represented at the Health Fair. He described CodeRED as an emergency platform that the city of Copperas Cove uses to offer immediate notification for natural disasters like earthquakes and floods as well as man-made disasters such as a hostage situation.
Those interested in signing up can go to the City of Copperas Cove website and click the link at the bottom of the page or go directly to https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/bff2144c1ee5 There they can follow the directions to sign up. Make sure to enter the three phone numbers (one for emergency notifications, one for general notifications, and one for weather warnings) so that they will show up on the caller ID. If you aren’t sure if you signed up or not, signing up again will overwrite the old information. If necessary, those having difficulty signing up can call or visit the Fire Department for assistance.
“It’s a good opportunity to get the know more people,” said Danielle Rotharmel, Senior Director of Talent for Chick-fil-A. “We run as a small business…so we’re community oriented and it’s important to let the community know that we care and we’re here for them.”
Rotharmel was advertising the salads, wraps, and other healthier items on the Chick-fil-A menu.
For many, the various booths provided them with a lot of helpful information. With something there for everyone, chances were there was at least one booth to pique their interest.
“They encourage us to come,” said Geah Hanson, who works as a Dispatcher. “The nicest thing was the representative from Chipotle. He was talking about the different diet friendly options. And of course, the massage—that’s something that I’ve been looking into lately. I think it’s nice to have something in the city where you can connect with different people and agencies all the way from food to medical care to massages and even general safety.”