LIHU‘E — Students who volunteer during times of disaster fall under the Junior Medical Reserve Corps, Waimea High School adviser Fran Becker said. Some 16 students from Kaua‘i and Waimea high schools helped distribute information on health emergencies and manned
LIHU‘E — Students who volunteer during times of disaster fall under the Junior Medical Reserve Corps, Waimea High School adviser Fran Becker said.
Some 16 students from Kaua‘i and Waimea high schools helped distribute information on health emergencies and manned an activity station at the state Department of Health table at the Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools parent/child fair, Saturday at the Kukui Grove shopping center.
Health emergencies was just one area for which the DOH had information.
“Unlike natural disasters, public health emergencies require us to turn to our state’s health care professionals for advice,” Dr. Chiyome Fukino, DOH director, said in the guide distributed by the junior medical reserve students.
“Public health officials, doctors, hospitals and clinics do all they can to treat the sick and control the spread of disease, but individuals and families have to do their part to prepare and protect themselves,” Fukino said.
Gov. Linda Lingle, in her statement in the flier, said emergency preparation is a shared responsibility.
Bridget Arume, the coordinator of the Eastside Family Summit, had an updated questionnaire where data on underage drinking, drug and substance abuse, personal well-being in school and other areas would be collated to develop future programs to enhance the existing one.
These were serious topics for adults to consider and there was no shortage of information from the 22 vendors taking part in the eighth fair.
To keep young people occupied, there was a packed slate of entertainment and activities geared for children.
Jeannie Odo, the STEPS team coordinator, was pleased with the large turnout for this year’s event, noting that there was a lot of information for people to browse through.
Janice Bond, coming off a morning walk with the March for Babies, had information on the 2009 Read to Me Conference that will be held June 18-19 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center on O‘ahu.
Bond said the conference will be headed by former first lady of Hawai‘i Lynne Waihee, a strong literacy advocate, and will feature authors James Rumford and Dan Yaccarino.
Lee Cataluna, whose parents live in Koloa, will be the featured luncheon speaker.
“‘Open a book, open the world,’ the conference theme, is something everyone can use,” Bond said.
For more information, visit www.readtomeintl.org.
