by Jared Rutecki
Are your children
afraid to see the doctor? COMCorps is teaming up with area
organizations Saturday, Oct. 14, at this year’s Little People's
Hospital to lessen their fears and make it more fun.
“Little People's
Hospital teaches kids all about X-rays and ear and eye exams,”
says Nancy Schell, director of COMCorps. “It is set up to
be fun and to show kids that going to the doctor doesn’t have to
be an unpleasant experience. Enjoyable and educational are two
words that describe Little People's Hospital.”
Parents and
guardians are encouraged to bring their children to the
fun-filled event, which takes place in Nelsonville at the
Hocking College Student Recreation Facility from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. Little People's Hospital, part of Kids in Action, is
co-sponsored by Hocking College and Athens County Children
Services.
According to Kim
Resanovich, Area Health Education Center nurse coordinator for
Community Health Programs at Ohio University College of
Osteopathic Medicine (OU-COM), boothes and tables will feature
health topics tailored for kids, including "911 – What’s Your
Emergency?” “What’s in the Doctor’s Black Bag?” “Germs and Hand
Washing” and “Vital Signs.”
About 35 first- and
second-year OU-COM medical students are expected to participate
in Little People's Hospital in addition to COMCorps members.
COMCorps is OU-COM’s AmeriCorps program.
“Little People's
Hospital gives our members an opportunity to provide health
education to children and families in a fun environment,” Schell
says. “It also helps members connect with the community. Medical
students also will get to test their dramatic chops playing the
costumed role of Ostie the Owl.”
Little People's
Hospital is, however, only the tip of the iceberg of COMCorps’
community activities.
Over the past year,
COMCorps has had a visible presence in area schools, providing
health education to almost 8,000 children.
COMCorps
presentations in schools included topics such as poison
prevention, germs and dental care, and more than
17,000 screenings for lice, vision, hearing and gross motor
skills were provided. COMCorps also assisted nearly 4,000 people
through social service programs that provided gasoline vouchers
and transportation to medical and dental appointments.
Members have served
on the Red Cross Disaster Action Team, providing staffing during
blizzards and floods, and four members assisted relief efforts
during Hurricane Katrina.
COMCorps’ impact in
the region has not gone unnoticed. While all AmeriCorps programs
in Ohio receive federal funding through the Ohio Community
Service Council, COMCorps was the only one to receive new
competitive federal funding. COMCorps received perfect marks on
its grant review.
“It’s an honor, but
it’s also a great responsibility,” Schell says. “We have
received recognition locally and at the state level; now, it’s
terrific to get national acknowledgement for the hard work and
important things we are doing.”
- 30 -
News for
the week of Oct 2 – Oct 7
