TEXARKANA, Texas -- The city of Texarkana and Bowie County Health Department will host a free, citywide health and wellness fair April 19 at Texarkana Convention Center.
More than 30 vendors and food trucks will be participate in the annual event, slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"We are just really happy to provide this for the community. It's our duty to make sure they have those resources available to them," city Communications Manager Brooke Stone said.
There will be basic health screenings and free testing for blood pressure, blood sugar, sexually transmitted diseases and cholesterol. Attendees also will be able to engage with and ask health care providers and financial professionals for valuable resources for information on topics like Medicare, insurance and other topics.
"There will be regional and local vendors, people like dental offices and urgent cares. Health insurance and financial professionals to answer questions that the public might have, along with nonprofits to answer questions about what type of services they provide," Stone said.
LifeShare will host a blood donation drive, and door prizes will be awarded.
The Police Department will have a drunken driving demo to illustrate the dangers of driving while under the influence.
"Texarkana is just a really big regional hub. People come from 30 miles or more to come here to shop, eat and medical services. A lot of these nonprofits and smaller local providers in town might not have another way to get the word out there about the services they can provide," Stone said.
Prospective vendors must fill out a registration form and return it to the city by April 10. A door prize is requested in lieu of a booth fee.
Vendors must provide their own equipment but will be given one table and two chairs for their booth. They must bring any other chairs or tables that are needed.
For more information, contact health department nurse Regina Lynch at [email protected], or call the health department at 903-798-3250.