Essay on Community Housing Development Fair

The health fair held by the Community Housing Development was a great success. The move was purposed to create awareness in the community about various health issues and the importance of healthy living. My roles and duties at the fair included advising the community about the benefits of leading a stress-free life and how to achieve it. The health fair was targeting the family as it is the smallest basic and functional social unit in a community. We live in a world that is constantly changing. Fashions and trends that were considered urban are now phased out. Needless to say, these changes have significantly influenced the way people live their life.

Healthy living involves being stress-free, and the way to lead such a life begins at the family level. However, that is not the case with modern households. Homes have been turned into courtrooms where it is one instance after another. Sadly, the only time that families get to spend time together nowadays is through events and ceremonies such as the wedding, funeral, Thanksgiving and Christmas which is not even a guarantee that all members will attend. Modern families have neglected the aspect of spending time with their loved ones and are so busy chasing dollars. There always seem to be a pressing issue to be handled that is more urgent and seemingly more important than the family. Children are being brought up in families that they never get to know or even see their parents and nannies have taken over the duties of mothers in families. There is the notion that the most important thing a parent can do for their children is to provide for them even if this means not spending time with them.

The family is the core and structural social unit in the world. As a fact, most relevant associations begin at the household level. While growing up, family members are the people we spend most of our time with and for that reason they contribute directly to our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional growth. They help us define what is right from what is wrong and offer us company when we need it the most. Some define family as the place where life begins and life never ends. The family is meant to be a fortress of solace where one spends time with loved ones. After a long day work or school, one goes home to the family to have peace of mind and relax. Happy families are people that are directly involved in the affairs of other family members, and if not help, they at least give them a listening ear. They offer solutions to every problem and having one another is more than they could ask for. Such families believe in transparency and do not keep unnecessary secrets from one another. They share their problems with one another and offer a shoulder to lean on.

San Pablo Committee on Aging Craft Fair

Just like death, aging is one of those inevitable things in life. Most people are about staying young and enjoying life at their youth years. Many events, concerts, and shows are usually about celebrating the youth. For that reason, the topic of aging is one of those areas that are carefully trodden, and many people tend to avoid it when they can. The San Pablo Committee decided to beat the odds when they held the aging craft fair, and to my surprise, the attendance was encouraging.

My roles at the fair were subordinate in nature and though I requested for an opportunity to talk and express my views, the limited time could not allow. As opposed to my thinking that the fair would only be attended by the elderly, we had audiences from across all ages, and it is at this point that the guest speaker started off the fair by advising that aging was a process and not a destination. He insisted on the importance of leading a healthy life while growing up to avoid aging complications later in life.

I consider the fair to be a success because the session between the audience and the event organizers was highly interactive. It was provided a platform through which the audience got to know each other and share a thing or two about the fair. I was also assigned the role of distributing complaints/compliments/suggestion forms to the visitors, and my supervisors informed me that the general feedback was positive. It was an honor to be part of this fair, and although I did not get a chance on the stage to address the audience, my subtle interactions in the course of the event were equally satisfying.

San Pablo Committee on Aging National Senior Health and Fitness Day

As compared to the aging craft fair, the fitness day was more like a mini fair. The attendance was impressive, and there was something to learn for everyone. Visitors were advised to come in exercise outfit to avoid the giving the show a business-like feel. Before the fair day, I was presented with a pile of posters that I was to stick strategically throughout my neighborhood. I was also sent a soft copy of some pictures and event details in my email that I was to market the event with on social media.

In my locale, the most appreciated social media is Instagram, and one week to the event I would post at least three pictures to create awareness. For the few who were not fond of social media, I took a personal initiative of making door to door visits, and although it was a challenging task, with the help of my two close friends, we were able to overcome the challenges. Some of the problems include unfriendly people, the kind that was not willing to spare some minutes to hear what we had to say. It was a little discouraging and heartbreaking, but I was prepared for such. I was tasked with the duty of inviting several organization, and I drafted several invites to the following groups, Alzheimers Association, Senior Helpers, Lifelong Medical, Lions Center for the Visually Impaired, Contra Costa Information and Assistance, among others.

I was happy to learn that they recognized and appreciated the work we were doing for the community and their sincere compliments motivated me even more. On the mini fair day, they turn up was impressive and there was something for everyone to learn. The show spared a few minutes for some physical exercise that was led by a professional trainer. Health fitness medical personnel were also given an opportunity to share with the audience about healthy living.

San Pablo Committee on Aging Aloha Night Fundraiser

This being a night event and a fundraiser limited the number of audiences and guests. For one, children below the age of 18 were not allowed because of the timing and the targeted visitors were potential stakeholders in this noble course. To bring real change and help the aged, funds were needed to perform these functions. I was tasked with coming up with the pamphlets expounding on how the collected money was going to be utilized for the benefit of the community. On the event day, I supplied the pamphlets to every guest at the entrance and those who needed extra explaining; I was there for them.

The fundraiser kicked off with a prayer, and a nutritionist was invited to stage to talk about healthy eating and aging. Healthy living also incorporates diet. Healthy eating habits improve the overall well-being of family members and also makes them feel good. Although healthy eating habits are hard to develop and even more difficult to maintain, their importance cannot be overlooked. A healthy diet controls the weight of family members, and this reduces the risk of acquiring lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Healthy eating also improves the mood. Eating a healthy diet stimulates the body to produce brain chemicals called endorphins which make you more relaxed and happy. Finally, healthy eating boosts the immunity level of a person and thus, makes them less susceptible to diseases. In conjunction with regular physical exercises, healthy eating leads to a better life.

The event MC encouraged the guests to contribute generously and their help, regardless of how little, it was impactful to the committee. The visitors were supplied with envelopes as opposed to open basket fundraiser to avoid intimidation.