Penn State Hershey booth at Farm Show to feature wellness activities and education

Physicians, nurses and staff members from Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center will staff a booth featuring a range of health-related activities, screenings and information at the 2014 Pennsylvania Farm Show. The Farm Show will be held January 4-11 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.

The Penn State Hershey booth in the Main Hall will be staffed on Saturday, January 4 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and on Saturday, January 11 from 9 a.m. to noon. The offerings from Penn State Hershey will include:

• Reach the Beach: Take a one- or two-minute walk on one of our treadmills and help us travel 320 miles – the distance from Harrisburg to Virginia Beach.
• Family wellness: Penn State Hershey PRO Wellness Center will challenge people of all ages to test their basic nutrition knowledge. Center representatives will also distribute information about the Kohl's Healthy Champions program.
• Know Your Numbers: Penn State Hershey nurses will be available to perform free blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) screenings.
• Access to affordable health care: Staff members from Penn State Hershey Patient Financial Services will be on-hand to help people understand a range of financial assistance options, including state programs like Pennsylvania State Medical Assistance and CHIP.
• NO TXT ZONE: Visitors to the Penn State Hershey booth will be encouraged to sign the “NO TXT ZONE” pledge and take free screen cleaners and stickers with them to help spread the message about the potentially deadly consequences of texting while driving.
• Flu shots: Penn State Hershey is once again teaming up with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to offer free flu shots. Last year, the partnership resulted in 3,500 vaccinations during Farm Show week. Flu shots will be given at the Department of Health booth in the Main Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Saturday, January 4 through Friday, January 10; and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 11.

Such public health efforts are examples of how Penn State Hershey continually works to meet the needs of the communities it serves and address health issues identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment, conducted during 2011 and 2012. Among the findings was a need across the region for new or expanded programs about healthy lifestyle choices as well as access to affordable health care. Penn State Hershey collaborated with two community health systems – Holy Spirit Health System and PinnacleHealth – to carry out the assessment.

If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email Penn State Health Marketing & Communications.