Each year, the North Royalton Health Fair & Family Expo aims to provide its attendees with free access and support for a variety of health and wellness services and this year was no different.
Hundreds of attendees walked the Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church and School grounds Sept. 21, visiting with vendors and gathering pertinent health and wellness information. The event site switched this year to the Royalton Road church complex due to construction work at North Royalton High School. But the site change didn’t appear to hinder the lively momentum of the yearly event.
More than 60 health, wellness and civic vendors stood at their tables meeting with passers-by and eagerly sharing information on a true range of topics. Southwest General and University Hospitals had a large presence and passed out literature and giveaways on everything from flu shots to exercise tips to healthy eating habits to home health/hospice and a collection of other health needs.
Allyson Valentine of University Hospitals was on-hand to answer questions and perform hearing screens.
“This is really a one-stop-shop for all of your health needs,” she said of the expo. “There is so much for everybody here.”
Attendees had the opportunity to participate in free health screenings courtesy of University Hospitals Parma and Southwest General Medical Centers that included audiology, balance, blood pressure, DEXA screening for bone density, glucose, non-fasting cholesterol, pain, injury, physical therapy and scoliosis. University Hospitals also provided CPR demonstrations and the sweet canines of Southwest General’s Healing Paws therapy dogs program were on-hand for pats on the head and smiles.
Healing Paws Volunteer Bob Dutton stood with Labrador/Golden Retriever mix Yonkers discussing the therapy dog program with event attendees. He has been a volunteer for six months and was inspired by his father to do the training hours required.
“My dad had heart surgery and was very down, which is different for him because he’s always in such high spirits, and when the hospital’s therapy dog walked into his hospital room to visit him, his eyes lit up and he was acting so excited, just like a 5-year-old,” Dutton said. “Seeing that change in him really inspired me to do this.”
The day’s event roster also included a free pancake and sausage breakfast courtesy of City Council President Larry Antoskiewicz, door and raffle prizes, an American Red Cross Blood Drive, pet adoption from Northeast Ohio SPCA, a K-9 demonstration with members of local law enforcement, the Southwest Enforcement Bureau Bomb Squad Robot, a Turkey Trot by the North Royalton City Schools, a food drive for the local food pantry, a performance by Cannon Irish Dance, a 1-Mile Wellness Walk with Dr. Michael LoPresti of University Hospitals, and the 5K Bear Run – a perennial fan-favorite with more than 50 runners this year.
First time 5K Bear Runners Ken Likavec and Alex Baier of Brunswick were excited for their chance to compete. The friends shared some fitness advice.
“I recently got into fitness because I just switched to a desk job and was starting to gain weight so I began running,” Likavec said. “I started out just running as far as I could for as long as I could, starting with a mile, then two miles, then three miles, and just working my way up. I would tell people who are interested in running to just keep working at it and don’t get discouraged.”
North Royalton residents Louis Pell and Annette Nedrich also teamed up for the Bear Run and One Mile Walk. They, too, were first timers.
“I was inspired to start running by my daughter, who runs recreationally,” Pell said. “She’s a great inspiration.”
Jim Presot, assistant superintendent of North Royalton City Schools, assists each year in orchestrating the Health Fair & Family Expo.
“Each year, this special community event is held to create awareness of and help health fair visitors gain access to the many health care and community organizations and resources available to them,” Presot said.
Longtime North Royalton residents Norma and Paul Kovac joined their neighbors Joyce and David Harrison at the Health Fair & Family Expo. Before walking the vendor tables, the friends sat down together for pancakes.
“We love supporting anything the city does,” Norma said. “We just love North Royalton and have lived here for 43 years. This is a wonderful event to see all the many health services we have here.”


By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer