Homeless health fair on Friday

KAHULUI - A health and informational fair for Maui's homeless will be held Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Salvation Army Drop-off Center, 45 W. Kamehameha Ave. The event is open to everyone.

There will be free health screenings and informational booths by more than 30 agencies on Maui. The event is sponsored by the Salvation Army and Maui Community College nursing students.

The health screenings include blood pressure checks, glucose monitoring, flu vaccines and distribution of information on diabetes, substance abuse, domestic violence, first aid, hygiene, emergency preparedness, cancer and cardiovascular health.

The lineup of agencies and groups to appear includes Family Planning Education Services, Women Helping Women, Maui Community College dental students, Labor Ready, Maui Food Bank, Maui County Office on Aging, Mental Health Kokua, Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Maui Economic Opportunity, Family Life Center, Department of Veterans Affairs / Vets Center, Child & Family Services, Maui Youth & Family Services and Legal Aid Society.

The Salvation Army has been running this health fair annually for eight or nine years, said Capt. Mark Merritt, one of the core officers and island coordinators for the Salvation Army.

The fair usually draws between 150 to 200 people of all ages, but he expects the number to exceed 200 this year.

The Salvation Army has been on Maui for 114 years, beginning in 1895 with a soup kitchen in Wailuku.

For more information, call the Salvation Army at 871-6270.