ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (November 29, 2016) -- The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, or ATEC, hosted its sixth annual Health Fair at ATEC Headquarters on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Nov. 8.
ATEC's Health and Wellness Coordinator, Gale Sauer, conducted the annual event to give the workforce an opportunity to learn about some of the resources available around the surrounding community, in regards to their well-being.
The vendors that participated in this year's health fair included: Kids' First Swim School, Upper Chesapeake, Army Wellness Center, Bike Shop of Bel Air, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Freedom Federal Credit Union, Harford Lyme Disease Advocates, Pharmacy Team-Klein's ShopRite, Lifetime Dental Care, The University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program, Natural Essential Wellness, and Optimal Spine. Each vendor provided the workforce with handouts, brochures, etc. to help increase someone's awareness on their health and wellness.
"Over the years, the workforce has provided me with feedback from the health fairs, which can help me understand some of the vendors that were beneficial and or interesting to the workforce," Sauer said. "I have had comments over the years that the fair has prompted a follow up with a primary care provider that he or she had not previously thought was necessary."
A new vendor that joined this year's event was Sappari Solutions. This vendor promotes professional organizing solutions that fit your lifestyle, budget and timeline. Sappari Solutions provided a seminar on "Productivity," which was open to all APG tenants.
Upper Chesapeake provided a different kind of display this year: an inflatable colon. The workforce was given an opportunity to walk through the colon, giving them an understanding of what a healthy colon should look like and how to go about keeping one's healthy. Free screening kits were available for anyone over 50 years old who had not had a colonoscopy.
Many ATEC employees took advantage of the free flu vaccinations that were offered onsite by Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic in an effort to prepare for the flu season.
Overall, employees expressed great satisfaction with what this year's health fair had to offer.
"Every year the fair presents a lot of good information," said Dave Daugherty, an ATEC employee. "I appreciated the complimentary massages, the information on nutrition at the Blue Cross Blue Shield booth, and I love the fact that we are supporting breast cancer awareness with a booth set up to offer good information."
Sauer stated that she had yet to have anyone in six years say they would not recommend having coworkers participate in the health fair.
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