Early Years Health Round-Up returns in May

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A free event is returning to Fort St. John to provide families with the opportunity to ask questions about their children’s health and development.

The upcoming Early Health Round-Up, the first since 2020, focuses on children aged zero to five and their families.

Moya Fenney, who works with Child Care Resource and Referral, says the round-up is held in collaboration with many local resources.

She described the health round-up as a time for families to come and have all kinds of questions answered from different organizations, including the public library and Northern Health.

There will be a welcome table where families will receive a book bag and a “passport” the child can carry around and get stamped at each table they go to. For example, the Fort St. John Child Development Centre will be hosting the ages and stages questionnaire.

“It’s a circuit system, so you come to the Totem mall, you will go around the circuit with your family, stopping at the tables that you wish to stop at. All, or as many as you would like,” Fenney said.

There will also be different “breakaways” throughout the day, where families participate in specific activities in certain areas of the mall.

Once the family finishes their circuit, they can drop the “passport” into a draw for a chance to win a door prize.

Collaborators include the Child Development Centre, Childcare Resource and Referral, Community Bridge, the Fort St. John Public Library, the City of Fort St. John, School District 60, Nenan Family Services Society and Northern Health as part of the Fort St. John Early Years Community Table.

Fenney says the Early Years Health Round-Up has been running since about 2009.

The round-up is held at the Totem Mall, at 9600 93rd Avenue, on May 3rd from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.