News
7/30/2012
Moniteau County kids flock to Back-to-School Fair
California, Mo. (July 30, 2012) — Thinking about returning to school during the dog days of July might not have been tops on many Moniteau County kids’ list this past weekend, but getting free school supplies was a nice consolation prize.
The third-annual Moniteau County Back to School Fair took place July 28 atCalifornia High School and welcomed more than 280 kids for no-cost health screenings, supplies and entertainment.
Supplies were purchased with donations from businesses and individuals across the county, including Co-Mo Electric Cooperative and its charitable foundation, Co-Mo Cares.
Other major sponsors included the Moniteau County Health Center, Central Bank, California Lions and Kiwanis clubs, BW Graphics and Bobbio’s Pizza.
“This fair is evidence of what the county can do when it comes together,” said John Agliata, Co-Mo’s communication manager and a member of the organizing committee. “So often, you see our county break down into its silos of Tipton, California and the smaller communities. But here we have representatives from all the communities, and we have kids coming from all the schools in the county. There’s strength in that.”
The goal of the fair is to send Moniteau County students back to school with no undiagnosed health issues and with the supplies needed to learn. Health screenings were given for dental, vision, hearing, height, weight, scoliosis, blood pressure and immunizations. Kids received a total of 141 referrals for follow-ups based on issues uncovered during the screenings.
“That’s 141 issues that hopefully can be addressed before the students go back to school,” said Andrea Kincaid, administrator of the Moniteau County Health Center and a member of the organizing committee. “If these issues are taken care of, there’s a better chance that the child is ready to learn.
Parents of students who were registered for the fair but did not attend can call the health center at (573) 796-3412 to schedule an appointment for screenings before receiving their bag of supplies.
The Back to School Fair organizing committee is already looking ahead to the 2013 fair and will set a date and location soon. It is also incorporating under Moniteau County Cares of Kids and forming a seven-person board that will pursue 501(c)(3) status to open up more avenues of funding.
“Everything the community donates to the fair is put right back into the fair,” Agliata said. “Earning that charitable-organization status allows us to apply for grants and other sources of funding that have been closed to us in the first three years of the fair. The more money we’re able to get in donations, the more we’ll be able to provide for the children of Moniteau County.
Fo rmore information about the fair, contact Agliata at jagliata@co-mo.coop or (800) 781-0157.
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