Fun in the Sun Back to School Bash merges health and fun

Although the summer heat may be intense this year, during the Fun in the Sun Back to School Bash, it was exactly where attendees wanted to be.

Guests at the event, which was held at the CenterPlace Health - Women and Children's Health Center, collected free items including school supplies like backpacks, medical and dental health vouchers, and food, but also enjoyed the upbeat spirit of the occasion, keeping energized with frozen treats from Kona Ice and bouts of dancing.

“It was awesome,” said 11-year-old Dan Zach. 

Kari Ellingstad, CEO of CenterPlace Health, said the event, now in its second year, serves the nonprofit’s mission of providing health care regardless of anyone’s ability to pay. Its offerings include pediatric and behavioral health, pharmacy services and OBGYN services.

“We want to make sure that we're defining health in a broad sense, so we want to meet the needs in terms of mental health, and helping people access the resources that they need to live a healthy life,” she said.

Ellingstad added that the clinic’s community partners, who organized the event, were crucial in achieving this goal.

Some of the vendors present included All Faiths Food Bank, Orangetheory Fitness and First 1,000 Days Suncoast, while ManKind Barber Lounge provided students with haircuts.

“I think it’s heartwarming,” said Dan Zach’s mother, Deb Zach, admiring the combination of fun and education from the organizations serving children in the community.