June 15, 2000
Contact: Kay Albright, University Relations, (316) 293-2643 or kalbrigh@kumc.edu
WICHITA--To celebrate 25 years of serving Wichita, the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita is having a block party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 24. The public is invited to participate in a wide variety of free activities, diagnostic services, health information and refreshments at the 1010 N. Kansas campus.
"We want to thank Wichita for 25 years of support to our medical school," said Dean Joseph C. Meek, "and to highlight our community partners. We depend on the Wichita community and we want the people of Wichita to know how much we appreciate all they have done for us."
Mobile medical units from the KU Medical Center and the Kansas Lions will be on hand. Diagnostic services will include free blood-pressure, vision and hearing tests, and height projections for children. Community partners will have information booths on health issues and services while several departments at the medical school will have hands-on activities for children. Other activities for children will include a free moonwalk, face painting and balloons. Free refreshments include popcorn, snow cones and drinks.
"We want this to be a fun activity for the whole family," Meek said, "but we also see this as an opportunity to continue providing information on important health issues to our community."
Community partners at the event include Department of Veterans Affairs, Sedgwick County Regional Forensics Science Center, Wichita State University College of Health Professions, HealthWave, Communities in Schools, United Methodist Health Clinic of Wichita, Good Samaritan Clinic, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Family Health Channel, and 89th Regional Support Command of the U.S. Army Reserve. Students participating in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Fashionetta scholarship program have volunteered to assist at the block party.
Participating departments at the school include the Office of the Dean, Family and Community Medicine, Information Technology, Facilities Management, Community Partnerships, Preventive Medicine, Psychiatry, Research and University Relations.