Plenty Of Fun In Store Saturday

At The Health And Safety Fair

By John Voket

Come for the two-mile health walk and stay to see if you will be riding home on a brand new bicycle Saturday, as the Great American Health and Safety Fair comes to the grounds of Newtown Middle School between 10 am and 2 pm.

World of Bikes owner Mike Talarico and the Chamber of Commerce of Newtown are donating a Schwinn Sierra Comfort bike, valued at $300, to raffle off to a lucky winner who attends the Health and Safety Fair. Anyone attending the event can enter the raffle for free.

The blue and silver, medium-framed bike can be used for both male and female riders. And if the style of the bike is not just right, Mr Talarico said his World of Bikes will substitute or change it if an adjustment is needed for size purposes.

The raffle will be among many activities, interactive demonstrations, valuable information, and possible life-saving health screening at the annual event.

Danbury Hospital’s William Notaro, MD, chief of the Department of Medicine’s Section of Dermatology, will be working with Newtown Visiting Nurse Association representatives handling skin cancer screenings.

Dr Notaro will be among more than 45 exhibitors, at least a dozen other health screenings for concerns including high cholesterol, blood pressure, and pulse rate. Visitors can take in exhibits from Danbury hospital featuring various new medical advancements, exciting demonstrations from Newtown ambulance, fire, and police departments, plus a tour of the Lifestar helicopter, weather permitting.

The Third Annual Newtown Parks and Recreation Health Walk will unite participants and families on an easy two-mile course around the town center. While admission to the health fair is free, a registration fee of $10 for adults and $5 for children will be collected for the walk.

Proceeds will benefit children who want to participate in Parks and Recreation programs, and who qualify for scholarships and underwriting through the Newtown Health Fund.

The health fund is an ongoing cooperative among the Health Fair Committee, the Newtown Health District, and the Parks and Recreation Department, which promotes healthy lifestyles for local young people. Qualifying families can receive financial support for one program per household, per season said Dr Della Schmid, Health Fair Committee co-chair.

“The walk begins at noon, sharp, and the first 300 to register will get great free goody bags full of healthy and health-promoting items,” Dr Schmid said. Same day registration for the Third Annual Newtown Health Walk closes Saturday at 11:30 am.

This year the health fair is featuring a new, family-friendly big top tent on the lawn in front of the Newtown Middle School with Dr Robert Grossman, former chief of surgery at Danbury Hospital and now chairman of the Newtown Health District, acting as master of ceremonies of the “Big Top” events.

Event co-chair Mae Schmidle said one of the most popular children’s exhibits will be returning to the Great American Health Fair — a temporary pasture with several award-winning cows from Castle Hill Farm.

“As in years past, we will have the popular children’s poster contest in cooperation with local schools, and participants will have the opportunity to win a new bicycle as well as dozens of other prizes,” said.

This is the seventh year that the Chamber of Newtown has donated a bike to the health fair. This year, Peter Giarrantano of P&M Consulting, Jane Sharpe, Ward Cedar Log Homes, Ken Buda of Respond Solutions, and Pat Linnell, chamber president, will be available at the organization’s booth that day to chat about the Chamber’s many benefits.