FARMINGTON — Franklin Memorial Hospital will host its first Fall Into Wellness Block Party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, in the Bass Room at the hospital, 111 Franklin Health Commons.

The free family-oriented educational and fun event will include a children’s play area with a bounce house, face painting, lawn games, farm animals and pumpkin decorating, as well as ambulance tours, health screenings and free flu shots on the Healthy Community Coalition’s mobile health unit.

The Farmington Police Department will be on hand with its drug drop box where residents can bring their unwanted medications and dispose of them safely. Firefighters from the Chesterville Fire Department will teach fire safety using their smokehouse.

Several community agencies also plan to be present including the Children’s Task Force, LEAP, Evergreen Behavioral Services, Adult Education, and Community Dental, among others.

Hospital staff will be available with information and handouts on new technology upgrades including: two advanced mammography units and a stereotactic needle biopsy unit for the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center; the replacement of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner; and the forthcoming March launch of a new electronic health record called SeHR (the Shared Electronic Health Record) used among all MaineHealth health care facilities.

“On that weekend, we will also have five medical and dental students from the University of New England onsite to help out and experience this community and see what it is like to practice rural medicine. This Fall into Wellness Block Party give us an opportunity to celebrate all the good work we do here,” said Tania Dawson, clinical educator and an organizer of the event, according to a news release from the hospital.

Also happening at the same time will be an open house at Franklin Health Primary Care (formerly Franklin Health Intown Medicine on Box Shop Hill) at its new location in the Mt. Blue Health Center. Anyone with an interest in visiting the offices, meeting the staff, and learning more about services offered is invited to attend.

For more information, call Dawson at 779-2554.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: