First-ever community health fair at Baisley Park Houses

Thanks to a combined effort of housing authorities and local activists, Baisley Park Houses hosted its first-ever community Health Fair last month.
Despite the grey skies and threat of rain, more than 200 residents, about half of them children, had a great time playing in inflatable structures, having their faces painted, and eating free hot dogs, all the while taking care of their physical and even their financial health.
Angelique Reid of ETP Consulting, Inc., the coordinator of the event, explained, “This is a great opportunity to get the people together with the service providers. We’re hoping to do this every year from now on.”
Indeed, there were tables set up by the Queens Department of Labor, Queens Health Center, Washington Mutual (WAMU) and North Fork Banks and local groups such as “It Takes a Community to Raise a Child.”
Reid gave credit for the day’s festivities to Dr. Deborah Williams, the founder of Global Student Center Outreach, Prevention and Education (SCORE). Her group brings together local first-year medical, nutrition and physician’s aide students with kids in the community in grades 4 through 8.
The students tutor in math and science, mentor and also practice the skills they are learning by checking blood pressure, conducting health interviews and more.
“We create a sense of membership among all the kids.” Williams said, adding, “The grade-schoolers get to see kids who look like them, who are reaching for a goal. We bridge the gap between eight years of medical school and the grade school experience.”
A few feet from where Williams was speaking, Anne Marie Juliano, a first year medical student at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine was putting a blood-pressure cuff on 13 year-old Kiara Randolph. “I’m healthy” Randolph said, “and I want to stay that way.”
Ray Diaz, senior project manager for the Housing Department, said “Global SCOPE came to me with the idea. We got Angelique [Reid] involved and here we are. I think it’s great.”
State Assemblymember Vivian Cook agreed. “Ray, Dr. Williams and everyone worked hard on this, and it shows,” she said.