Ice cream for the kids, health answers for the parents

Tuesday, Aug. 25, dawned with blue skies and perfect late-summer weather, sunny but with a touch of cool breezes, foreshadowing the arrival of autumn. Dozens of families took the opportunity for a pleasant outing to visit the Family Health Fair hosted by Charles River Community Health Center at 43 Foundry Ave. 

While the children collected balloons, drew pictures and feasted on ice cream, their parents browsed the tables to learn about such topics as breast cancer screening, mental health resources and support for family caregivers. 

Waltham Times volunteers were there too, signing up new readers and asking passersby about what news stories mattered to them. “I like to see good news,” one woman said.

The annual fair marks National Health Center Awareness Month, observed in August. Community health centers provide affordable, comprehensive primary care to underserved and low-income populations, serving up to 52 million people nationwide regardless of their ability to pay.

The Charles River Community Health Center serves more than 13,600 patients a year at its sites in Waltham and Brighton, with the Waltham clinic seeing half, or roughly 6,000 to 6,800 patients, or approximately 8.6 percent of Waltham’s total residents.