Boats, Helicopters, and Bicycles, Oh My! Cascade Medical Free Community Health & Safety Fair

Can safety be fun? This weekend, the answer will be “yes.”Cascade Medical holds its Second Annual Community Health & Safety Fair at Alpine Lakes Elementary Saturday, June 24, from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Aisha Houghton is a Clinical Social Worker at Cascade Medical, and one of the organizers for this year’s event. She said, “It’s important for kids and families to head into the summer set up for success. We have so many great options for outdoor adventure, but just as many ways for that adventure to go sideways if you aren’t prepared and careful. This Health & Safety Fair is a way to give folks that information in a way that’s fun.”

The kids aren’t just going to walk away with information, either. “If you’re playing on the water or on wheels, it’s important to be protected. That means life jackets and helmets,” said Cascade Director of Continuous Quality Development Rachel Avery, another event organizer. “We want to make sure every family member having fun has what they need to be safe – that’s why we’re giving away life jackets and bike helmets during the event. That giveaway was a big success last year, and parents were so thankful.”

The Community Health & Safety Fair effort is benefiting from lots of local partnerships, as well. In addition to an ambulance and Mobile Clinic from Cascade Medical, the Chelan County Sheriff’s office will send along their Marine Patrol boat and Deputies to talk about water safety, Chelan County Fire District 3 will be there with a fire truck, experts will be onsite for free car seat safety checks, and Cascade Medical, along with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, will have a “bike safety rodeo” course kids can ride if they bring their bicycles. In addition, both LifeFlight and Airlift Northwest will have helicopters onsite folks can check out, along with opportunities for families to subscribe to their services. “Many folks don’t know that most health insurance plans don’t actually cover airlift services. If you need to get airlifted to Seattle, Spokane, or elsewhere, they may be on the hook for all costs unless they pay for an annual subscription,” said Cascade Director of Public Relations Clint Strand. “The subscription costs are comparatively small – less than $100 per year. It’s a small price to pay compared to a potential five-figure bill if you need to use that service and you’re not covered. This will give community members a chance to make sure they’re covered with both entities in the unfortunate instance they need to be airlifted to another part of the region.”

“Organizing an event like the Community Health & Safety Fair is a great opportunity to feel appreciation for so much,” said Cascade Medical CEO Diane Blake. “Gratitude for all of our community partners, who were so enthusiastic about the opportunity to be a part of this for a second straight year, for so many of our team who will volunteer their time to make this a success, and for the community we’re honored to serve.”