BRIDGEPORT — The Bridgeport Exempted Village School District is committed to helping the community gain access to health services and strengthening partnerships with area stakeholders. The district opened its doors to a health fair on Sept. 17. The campus cafetorium saw steady foot traffic as residents had health screenings and spoke to service agencies.

Put on by the Belmont County NAACP and partners including Wheeling Health Right and the Belmont County Health Department, the “Health Palooza” as it was affectionately called was started three years ago, and the district campus was quickly found to be an ideal site.

Visitors could also see the developing footprint of the grant-funded multipurpose facility to be dubbed “the Bridge” under construction in front of the elementary school. When completed, it will house medical and dental clinics as well as serve as a community center for events such as the health fair.

NAACP Director Jerry Moore II is a Bridgeport alumnus and welcomed attendees. The fair has only grown since finding a home in the school.

“We’re getting a lot more participation from the community. This is the most vendors that we’ve ever had. We’re very excited about everything that’s going on in the community. In the last three years that we’ve held these health fairs the community has responded in a big way.”

He pointed out the wide variety of vendor services as well as Ohio University Eastern’s nursing program, and Belmont College. The Ohio State Highway Patrol had “beer goggles” to simulate impaired driving. Mental health service providers were also present.

Other agencies included the Belmont County Women, Infants and Children program, Ohio Hills Health Center, the Community Action Commission and WVU Medicine. Services such as driver’s education were also involved. Bridgeport Schools also partners with the Medicaid managed care program OhioRISE, which coordinates resources for children and youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs.

The NAACP saw a great opportunity to help underserved residents by partnering with Bridgeport Schools. Moore added the NAACP was one of the community stakeholders that assisted the school district in the grant writing process that made the Bridge possible.

“To be able to come back to your alma mater and do something good. People in my organization are actually alumni from Bridgeport,” he said. “To be able to come and do something like this, so positive for the community and be accepted with open arms by the Bridgeport School District and Superintendent Brent Ripley, is just amazing. It’s a very warm, a very loving community in Bridgeport and when we said we wanted to do a health fair and we’re worried about peoples’ health, Bridgeport said come on down.”

He added Ripley has participated in the health fair’s steering committee meetings.

“We are going to ask them if we can host the Health Palooza at the Bridge next year and kick it off. We’re very excited because that is actually going to be a community center.”

His father, Jerry Moore I, is a past school board member with a long history of service and knows the community’s quality.

“I’m very excited and very happy that we’re hosting this function at Bridgeport school district. It means a lot. It’s centrally located,” he said. “We ask that the public come out and participate in it, and we owe a lot to the Bridgeport school district for allowing us to have this here.”

NAACP Health Committee Chairwoman Linda Mehl reviewed the agencies. She said the organization has been promoting the health fair.

“It’s a beautiful facility and they’ve got plenty of space, plenty of parking for all of our vendors and the people who are interested in coming here,” she said. “We felt like it was a central location. We really wanted to do something along the riverfront also.”

She was also excited to see the Bridge becoming a reality.

“They’re providing a much-needed service in the community. There are not enough doctors, not enough dentists,” she said. “It’s going to fill a big gap in the health needs of the community.”

Tate Blanchard, chief development officer with I.C. Care, is another alumnus. He said the district was a natural hub.

“It’s fantastic for the administration of Bridgeport Schools to allow vendors to come in, and more importantly allowing the public to come in and get access to health resources that are available here in our community, and I think it really speaks to the community commitment that the administration of Bridgeport Schools has, and their want to reach people in this community and provide services,” he said.

“The future looks very bright, based on everything that’s happening with the Bridge and Bridgeport Schools, and I think they will be looked upon by the peers from surrounding communities as well for everything that they’re trying to offer here, and I think a lot of other communities could learn a lot from what’s happening in the Bridgeport community to connect with all residents.”

Alumnus Cole Smelley, who will be running the Bridge’s physical fitness center to be named “the Dog Pound,” said this was an important time.

“There’s a lot going on in Bridgeport. This is my alma mater and I’m excited for the future. Go Dogs!”

Ripley said his district was happy to host the health fair.

“The Belmont County NAACP, Wheeling Health Right are to be commended for what they are doing. Their impact in the valley continues to grow and we could not be prouder of them for organizing events. As humans, we are born with service in mind, and this event is just another testament of the good service they and every vendor continues to faithfully do. What a great time to be a Bulldog!”