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We participate in Health & Wellness
Fairs when they are free and when we can attend
economically.
Brookings, OR Men's Mini Health
Fair
We had learned about the First Brookings-Harbor
Health Fair in 2006 to late to apply. However, we
went to the fair and found it totally lacking in
specific health information for men. And, while
there were opportunities to ask some specific
questions about men's health, one had to step up
and announce to those around him that he had a
health issue. That wasn't fair to men.
2007
So, in 2007 we applied but were rejected by the
committee because, while we were a not-for-profit
and provided a major health information service, we
didn't have a brick and morter business that
someone could walk into and purchase services. So,
we were rejected from participation in the 2007
Bookings-Harbor Health Fair. Expecting that not
much had changed from 2006 in finding male-specific
health information, we decided to hold our own
Men's "mini" Health Fair (See www.menstuff.org/brookings/healthfair.html
. While our health fair didn't start until 1:30pm
in the afternoon, I perused the city's health fair.
The American Cancer Society was there and had
several brochures on male-specific cancers
(prostate and testicular). Of the 40-some remaining
exhibits, I found only one brochure (and I had to
ask since it was really combined with women on
suggested health checks.) It did mention prostate
cancer. Other than those brochures, there was
nothing that addressed male specific health issues.
Nothing on erectial dysfunction, eating disorders,
depression, the dangers of dip, reproductive
health, breast cancer - and the list goes on.
Our fair went for three hours and had 27
visitors. Much smaller but also much safer for some
of the men that came and talked about issues of
depression, testicular and prostate cancer, general
health risk issues, the bullying that goes on daily
in the local high school, and more. We're glad we
were there to fill the gap in the city's program.
(See 2008 also)
2008
Our experience in 2007 led us to do a 2nd year
with the Men's mini Health Fair. We found that the
more private discussion versus the circus
atmosphere of the larger health fair, served men
better.
Brookings (OR) Medical
Center
On August 17, 2004 we and the Curry Breast
Health Network had booths at the annual required
health exam day for those children in the area who
plan to participate in school sports during the
coming year. We talked to most of the young men
during the four hour period about Testicular Cancer
and gave each one a Self-Exam shower card for their
use.
Coos Curry Electric Annual Meeting
We were invited to set up our booth at the
annual meeting of the Coos Curry Electric
Cooperative in Port Orford, CA in 2005. We were
invited to do it again in 2006 but had a date
conflict.
The Mill Casino/Hotel in North Bend,
OR
November, 2006
Earlier in the year, The Mill Casino in North
Bend told us that they wouldn't be doing the health
fair this year. However, by late summer, someone
came along to sponsor the fair but it was too late
to reschedule what we had booked during that time.
They didn't hold a health fair in 2007.
November, 2005
This was our 4th year at The Mill Casino. Again,
our emphasis was on Prostate and Testicular Cancer
awareness. The Health Fair attracted 63 exhibitors
and over 400 visitors.
October, 2004
Our slogan
allmenareatrisk.org
We're back for a third year. Our theme this year
supports our menatrisk.org
web site which concentrates on discussing
unnecessary risks that attribute to the cause of
death for men. The result: men die an average
of five years earlier than women. And, with simple
lifestyle changes, over 275,000 men's lives could
be saved each year. We also presented a continuous
showing of the video "Testicular Cancer and the
Importance of TSE" (Testicular Self-Exam). Our
"Get a
Grip! campaign is beginning to gain
awareness and health educators are beginning to
setup showings for middle-school and high-school
boys to teach performing a self-exam and the
importance of doing it
monthly.
October, 2003
This year we placed our emphasis on our
Get a Grip! awareness
campaign involving Testicular Cancer.
"Get
a Grip!" campaign
to stress importance of a monthly testicular
self-exam for young men starting when they reach
puberty.
October, 2002
Kei Billington, the Casting and Development
Administrator for The Mill Casino in North Bend,
Oregon, organized a Health Fair for its employees
and people from the community. This was a very well
organized event, especially since this was their
first venture into this arena. They used their
bingo hall, which was dark on Monday and Tuesday,
and did a commendable job.
The National Men's Resource Center
- "Real Men Ask for Help!"
We were located in front, right behind the
American Cancer Society booth. Our setup
included giveaway materials on prostate and
testicular cancer, our "Know
Fear" and "No
Fear, No Tears, Die Numb" T-shirt
transfer, "I am special", "Happy to Be Just
Me", "Love Comes in All Colors", "Kids are Special
People", "I'm High on Health", and "Hugs not Drugs"
stickers for the kids, a pamphlet "Every
Man Should Know About His
Prostate" and "Answer 8 easy
questions to help your doctor help you", and a
video of "A Gathering
of Men" with Robert Bly and Bill Moyer's
going.
We had Slide
Guides that ask and answer pertinent
questions on various topics such as "Men's
Guide to Health Tests
& Screenings", "Sexually
Transmitted Diseases Education Guide",
"Facts
on Gangs: What every citizen should
know", "AIDS Education
Guide", "Safe
Dating Guide", and "Facts
about Prostate Health" and a Testicular
Cancer Self Exam Shower Card. Plus,
"Make
the world safe for children" and
"Practice
Random Acts of Silliness" bumper
stickers and our special "Time
Out" heat sensitive stress indicator as
well as the website set up on dual computer screens
so people could pick out information they wanted
and print out a take-home copy right there. We also
had rubber replicas of a healthy prostate and five
others representing the feel and texture of an
enlarged cancerous prostate, and enlarged prostate,
possible cancer, and enlarged prostate BPH, a
normal size prostate with a hard nodule, possible
cancer, and an enlarged prostate, BPH or possible
cancer. For those who might consider doing a
self-exam, this gave them a sense of what they
might encounter.
We felt the Fair attracted a good number of
locals as well as a substantial number of employees
from The Mill. We will continue to exhibit at more
fairs like this in the future!
1.
2. 
1. Display teaches about the
prostate and prostate health. 2. General
information on men's health and other
men's
issues.
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