FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 15, 2019 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 59
buzz
Far Rockaway
hospital provides
kids with school supplies
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
A Far Rockaway hospital
is making sure that local children
are ready for the upcoming
school year in more ways
than one.
On Aug. 2, Saint John’s
Episcopal Hospital held its third
annual Back to School Fair, where
hundreds of kids got school supplies
and free health checks.
Th e hospital provided backpacks,
notebooks, pencils and
other school supplies to more
than 700 kids. Health insurers
DentaQuest and HealthPlex provided
more than 100 children
with free dental screenings while
over 30 adults received blood
pressure screenings. Additionally,
more than 30 young people
scheduled an annual physical
exam at the event.
“By providing health screenings
and school supplies, we are
helping to enhance the health and
wellbeing of the families we serve
in our surrounding communities,”
said Chief Executive Offi cer
Jerry Walsh. “Studies indicate
that there is a linkage between
education and good health, and
we want to set our community
members on the path of leading
a healthy lifestyle from a young
age.”
SJEP in collaboration with the
NYPD’s 101st Precinct treated
attendees to a day of fun, complete
with face painting, basketball,
video games and a rock wall
climb.
Over 40 vendors participated in
the community event, including
DentaQuest and HealthPlex, the
Queens Public Library, the New
York State Department of Health
and FDNY, who educated families
on fi re safety.
“St. John’s has served the health
care needs of the Rockaways for
over 110 years. Th is is our community,
and these are our community
members,” said Renee
Hastick-Motes, vice president of
external aff airs. “We want to do
our part to help them be healthy.
Plus, nothing warms the heart
more than seeing the smiles on
the faces of the children who
were in attendance.”
Following Peninsula Hospital’s
closure in 2012, SJEH has become
the only institution providing
emergency and ambulatory care
to the Rockaways, Five Towns
and southwestern Nassau County.
Visit https://ehs.org/ to learn
more.
Summer campers having fun at the fair
Photo courtesy of Saint John’s Episcopal Hospital
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