ATHENS, Ohio -- In honor of Martin Luther King Day, the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine will host a community health fair. This fair will take place in the culturally rich and racially diverse village of Kilvert at the Kilvert Community Center Monday, Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free health-care screenings will be provided by OU-COM's Community Services Programs with assistance from OU-COM medical students and AmeriCorps volunteers.

"Kilvert is rural community that has limited access to heath-care services and will benefit from the health screenings and health education services provided by the volunteers," said Elizabeth Minor, Health Career Opportunity Program director for the Center of Excellence for Multicultural Medicine at OU-COM.

Kilvert, a rural community about 15 miles east of Athens, was chosen for this yearly event because of its unique ethnic mix, comprised largely of peoples of American Indian, African American and European descent.

Kilvert's diverse population probably has an origin that predates the Civil War. "When I visited Kilvert several years ago," said Carl Denbow, Ph.D., former OU-COM director of communication, "I was told by some of its residents that many people of the community trace their heritage to the pre-Civil War era when the slave state of Virginia was just across the Ohio River."

It was also a "stop" on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. People from the nearby community of Cutler, which also has a strong African American heritage in its population, are invited to attend as well.

Health screenings will be provided under the direction of Kathy Trace, R.N., director of OU-COM's Community and Clinical Services, and Margo Marazon, OU-COM Area Health Education Center director. Health services provided will include blood pressure readings, glucose and cholesterol checks. Health education will focus on breast, cervical and prostate cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease and its prevention.

The OU-COM Mobile Health Unit will be at the Kilvert Community Center parking lot from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to provide the screenings and health education information. The unit will return in the spring for a follow-up day of pap and prostate screenings.

"I'm honored to help provide these services for the Kilvert community on Martin Luther King Day. This really helps to commemorate the work of Dr. King and his dedication to bringing people together with the common focus of community service," Trace said.

Irene Flowers, director of the Kilvert Community Center, anticipates the health fair could serve as many as 60 community members.

The health fair, now an annual event to commemorate MLK Day, is a great opportunity for OU-COM to fulfill its mission to serve underserved rural communities as well as giving medical students and AmeriCorps volunteers the opportunity to gain valuable experience providing screenings in a rural setting.

The health fair is co-sponsored by OU-COM's Student National Medical Association, Center of Excellence for Multicultural Medicine and the Area Health Education Center in keeping with their commitment to improving health-care services for the underserved.

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