Cone Health and N.C.A&TSU Convene Community Wellness Fair
By Joslyn Lindsay, Peacemaker Intern / July 13, 2023
A team of healthcare providers operates the Cone Health Mobile Medical bus.
Photo by Ivan Saul Cutler/Carolina Peacemaker.
Area healthcare organizations throughout the Greensboro community gathered on a rainy Saturday, July 8 to provide an overview of their services during “Building a Better You,” a community wellness fair sponsored by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Department of Psychology and Cone Health Center for Health Equity. The event was held at Hayes Taylor YMCA., 2630 Florida Street in Greensboro.
According to community health officials with Cone Health, this event is one of several wellness fairs planned, which seeks “to assess and address the health and social disparities of the East Greensboro community” and call attention to historical and pervasive issues of healthcare inequity that continue to persist.
ConeHealth Medical Assistant Zaria Johnson draws blood from Ashlie Thomas. Photo by Ivan Saul Cutler/Carolina Peacemaker.
This was the first year for the wellness fair, which consisted of health screenings such as blood pressure checks and diabetes screenings. The fair also provided attendees with multiple opportunities to learn about their health and how to access health insurance. Fun activities onsite included music, delicious food and a kid’s zone.
Greensboro City Councilmembers Sharon Hightower (District 1), Hugh Holston (At-Large) and Marikay Abuzuaiter (At-Large) attended the fair.
Hightower, who represents District 1, the site of the wellness fair, said the event caught the attention of a lot of people who live on the east side. She added that many people in attendance may not have access to medical care or health insurance. “It is important to have events like this regularly to reach out to as many people as possible. This Wellness Fair was an opportunity for East Greensboro residents to seek, access and navigate the healthcare system,” said Hightower.
Look for more wellness fairs across Greensboro and Guilford County in the near future.
Peacemaker intern Joslyn Lindsay is a rising senior at Northwest High School, where she is a member of the Viking Cheerleading Squad.
Editor Afrique I. Kilimanjaro contributed to this story.
