Local organizations collaborate for health-based event

CAPE GIRARDEAU Mo. (KBSI) – Local organization One City hosts its third annual Community Care Day, on June 5, with the goal of making sure people are whole and healthy.

Makenya Owens is Community Coordinator of One City, an organization that has been hosting this event. She says it all started as a mission event with Success Vision. The focus of the event is to bring physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health care resources to the community. and her organization has partnered with many others to make this possible.

“Any opportunity that we have to educate our neighbors on ways they can be more healthy, we’re excited to be able to do that.” Said Owens. “Being able to partner with different organizations in the community to meet the needs of those in our community is huge for us today.”

Cape Family Medical Clinic, Safehouse, Community Partnership, and Gibson Recovery Center, could be seen assisting people with various resources, along with local barbers and hairstylists providing free haircuts.

Owens says, “We did something a little different this year, we have a bingo card and the bingo card has all of our community partners today on it.”

The “bingo cards” would give attendees an extra incentive. As visitors met with different community partners to learn about new resources, they got a stamp on their card which led to a prize at the end. That prize being a ticket to pick up groceries from the mobile food pantry.

“We love hearing people after they pick up the groceries just be so excited that they go not only an extra little treat at the end but just a blessing that some of them didn’t come in expecting today.” Said Owens.

Success Vision General Manager Chad Bles says this event is important because sometimes health might get neglected when people are busy with their lives. so, gathering today could potentially get them back on track.

“One of the things that we’ve seen is just folks that may be, for instance, with us, for their vision they have not been to an eye doctor in a few years and just didn’t realize where they were at. So, we’re able to do a vision screening and book them an appointment today.” Bles Says, “Real connecting point right here in their backyard and we bring those services to them again to take down any barrier that would prevent them from coming to our store or locations.”

The event was from 10 am to 2 pm and Owens says she is excited to continue making sure people in the community will always find the care that they need.