Hoag hosts first health fair

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Hoag Library hosted its first health fair today with about 25 vendors attending the three-hour event.

In the top photo, Dr. Ahmet Guler, a cardiologist for Medina Memorial Hospital and Orleans Community Heath, talks with Cindy Perry, director of health education, wellness and outreach for the hospital and OCH.

Dr. Guler was hired as a local cardiologist in July. He promoted the hospital’s new vein center at today’s health fair. The Albion Urgent Care Center also offers vein screening services. Guler said Medina has the only vein center between Rochester and Buffalo.

The Care Net Pregnancy and Family Center in Albion also attended the health fair, trying to promote its services, which include pregnancy tests, ultrasound, testing for sexually transmitted infections, and other family services. In this photo, Sara Moore, left, is pictured with center director Gloria Lear. Moore is the nurse manager for Care Net, which is located across from McDonalds. The center has its annual “Walk/Run for Life” next Saturday at Mount Albion Cemetery beginning at 10 a.m.

Wayne Litchfield, the coordinator for VALOR, talks about the program with Leanne Serrato, a registered nurse with Medina Memorial Hospital. VALOR stands for Volunteer Alliance Linking Orleans Resources. The group provides volunteer support for public health preparedness.

“Unless it affects you personally, you don’t know the services that are out there,” said Nola Goodrich-Kresse, public health educator for Orleans County. She helped plan the health fair with Hoag Library staff.

She expects the health fair will become an annual event at the library.

“By coming here you now have names and faces to connect with organizations,” Goodrich-Kresse said.

Lyndonville Central School will host a health fair on Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of its homecoming weekend.