HERITAGE FESTIVAL TO FOCUS ON HEALTH DISPARITIES PLAGUING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
Baltimore, MD – The 8th Annual African American Heritage Festival expands efforts to eradicate health disparities in underserved communities by providing attendees with resources and direct services. Maryland Physicians Care (MPC), a community-focused managed care organization, will sponsor the Health and Wellness Village July 3-5 at M&T Bank Stadium Lot B. Maryland Physicians Care is a community-focused managed care organization that improves the health status of its members through effective care management systems. MPC will assist the health and wellness village create an atmosphere specially designed for health screenings, interactive exhibits and programs providing resources for a healthier lifestyle. Wanda Watts, Health and Wellness Committee Chair, said, “By bringing direct services to the Festival, we hope to connect people to health screenings, insurance and a host of resources to help combat the health disparities we see daily in Baltimore City. Many of the health disparities we see are preventable, and it is our desire to educate and inform our community, that they should ‘Take Control – Mind, Body and Soul’, which is the theme of this year’s Health & Wellness Village.” Trained professionals from area healthcare organizations will be on site to provide private screenings for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, vision, dental, podiatry, immunizations, weight consults, geriatric health, lead poisoning and several types of cancer including prostate, colon, cervical and breast cancer. The Prevent Cancer Super Colon exhibit, new this year, is an inflatable, 20-foot long, 8-foot high replica of a human colon. The travelling exhibit and interactive educational tool is designed to teach people all across America that colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable. Learning about the importance of colorectal cancer prevention, risks, symptoms and screening options, visitors get a close up look at healthy tissue as well as tissue with various stages of colorectal cancer. HUD Healthy Homes helps the public understand and prevent residential health and safety hazards by offering Festival attendees a tour of HUD’s Home Health and Safety Pavilion. Tours of the Pavilion teach guests how to keep their homes dry, clean, safe, pest-free and well-maintained in an effort to prevent lead and contaminant poisoning, injuries, and asthma or allergy attacks. Returning in its third year, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon hosts the 1.5Mile Walk and 5K run taking place on Saturday, July 4 off Hamburg Street near M&T Bank Stadium. This event challenges the community to take at least one step toward improving their health. Post event activities include an awards program, exciting prizes, and refreshments. To sign up for the challenge please log onto www.charmcityrun.com. -more- Page 2 – Heritage Festival Eradicating Health Disparities Co-Sponsors for health and wellness include Maryland General and St. Joseph Hospitals, The Living Legacy Foundation, American Lung Association, Kool Smiles, Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, WMAR TV2 and Heart & Soul Magazine. The Festival continues to offer critical resources in areas of financial empowerment, history, education and the arts. In addition to a variety of foods, carnival rides, and community organizations, this event consistently features an eclectic range of music on two stages including Reggae, Soul, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, and Gospel. The national headline artists scheduled to perform: Friday, July 3rd Teena Marie Verizon Wireless Stage Chubb Rock + Rob Base Saturday, July 4th En Vogue Toni Toni Tone (INNER HARBOR FIREWORK DISPLAY) Verizon Wireless Stage Eric Robeson, Anthony David, Angela Johnson Sunday, July 5th Anita Baker Laura Izibor Verizon Wireless Stage Terence Blanchard, Fertile Ground The 2009 festival hours are: Friday, July 3rd – 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4th – 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday, July 5th – 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. ****Admission to the festival is free for children 12 and under, general admission is $5. ****Special Limited Reserved Seating for Headline artists are available at Ticketmaster ($40, $50, $80) ****Guests are encouraged to take the MTA to the Festival via the light rail Hamburg and Camden Lines, Lexington Market subway, or #27 bus routes. For detailed information about the festival, including schedules, sponsor, vendor and volunteer inquires please log on to www.aahf.net or call 410-235-4427 ext. 211. Major sponsors of the 2009 Festival include: City of Baltimore, Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield, BACVA, Cricket Communications, DHCD, Grey Goose, Maryland Lottery, MTA – Maryland Transit Administration, McDonalds, M&T Bank, Nielsen, Sunny D, Budweiser, State Farm, and Verizon Wireless. Attracting over three million people in six years, the African American Heritage Festival is the premier festival in the Mid-Atlantic region. While we celebrate the historic contributions of African Americans, all visitors to the event will enjoy a unique cultural experience. COME SEE WHO WE ARE!
The largest Mid-Atlantic festival offering direct services to promote healthier lifestyles
