Published: August 23, 2008 10:05 pm      

HALO provides valuable information

DANVILLE — Sometimes it takes seeing things through fresh eyes to realize all that’s right about Danville.

The Yousef family attended their first HALO Health, Safety and Activity Fair Saturday at the Village Mall. They lived in Chicago prior to their move to Bismarck in November.

Aseel and Aiyeh Yousef were among the first to receive free bicycle helmets from Danville Police Department officers. HALO donated 100 helmets in two different children’s sizes.

“That’s perfect,” their mother said when she realized each girl would receive one. “This city is so concerned about children and keeping them safe. It’s not like that in Chicago.”

Over 50 exhibitors reinforced that message at display tables throughout the Village Mall. They distributed valuable and po-tentially lifesaving information to parents while they kept youngsters interested and busy with hands-on activities.

At the Vermilion County Recycling booth, coordinator Lynn Wolgamot played a game with 7-year-old Emily Hickman. Wolgamot asked the youngster to separate “garbage” dumped on the floor into what could be recycled and what could not. To make the game seem like less of a test, all the recyclables were marked with a sticker.

Emily’s mother Monica Hickman of Alvin watched her daughter contemplate a Styrofoam meat tray.

“We’ve recycled for years,” Hickman said. “It’s so much easier now that we have a site in Bismarck. We used to drive over to Danville and then the bins would be full.”

Wolgamot said recycling is also available in Bismarck, Catlin, Georgetown, Kickapoo State Park, Sidell and Westville. She said the city is working on establishing two more recycling sites in Danville.

Dentist Dr. Jane Cooney and her dental assistant Abby Proctor gave a warm greeting to both children and adults who stopped at their tables. Full-sized tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes for both adults and children made popular giveaways. Children who had their teeth checked by Cooney were given a dental mirror as a souvenir.

Their parents received a completed dental screening form required by the state at certain grade levels. Also, courtesy of the Smiling Faces Dental Program, information about brushing, flossing, fluoride and sealants was available.

Many exhibitors donated kid-friendly prizes for a raffle that continued throughout the event. The raffle tickets were given away when people stopped to pick up a goody bag as they entered the fair.

Deana Nibbe and her five children waited to hear the next number drawn to see if they were raffle winners. The family came from Rossville just for the event.

“It gives the kids something to do, especially in the heat,” Nibbe said. “But it’s so much fun and informative, too.”

Nibbe had one practical suggestion for next year’s health fair organizers.

“It would be great if they could add a discount coupon on some food from the food court,” she said. “The popcorn is good, but (the kids) are getting hungry.”

The HALO Project is sponsored by Provena United Samaritans Medical Center Foundation.