‘ We want to be inclusive’: Health and Wellness Fair brings providers, services to the community

(Update: Adding video, comments from Mosaic Community Health)

One of three events to end city of Bend's Welcoming Week

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --  There were a wide variety of health care providers and services were on hand for people to visit with and ask questions of on Sunday at Bend's Ponderosa Park for the inaugural Health and Wellness Fair.

Deschutes County Health Services, along with Mosaic Community Health and Volunteers in Medicine, put on the event.

The fair featured many booths for you to get information from. There was also music and free tacos for the first 100 people, as well as a bouncy house for the children.

 "People can expect here today is to just come and enjoy a good time here at the park, but also get to know who is here to provide health care service to the community," said Jason Villanueva, Mosaic Community Health's Spanish communications coordinator. "That's that's ultimately what we're trying to do here. It's incredible."

"What this means to us is just an opportunity to continue to do this," he added. "We want to do this on an annual basis. We want to be inclusive. We want to make sure people know that we are here, we are welcoming, and this is a welcoming community. So this is exciting."

The fair is also a part of the city of Bend's Welcoming Week. It's part of a national campaign to assist and welcome immigrants and refugees. The fair's goal was to bring providers and services together for the community. 

There are also two other events wrapping up Welcoming Week on Sunday afternoon: a fun afternoon of Lotería inside Bend Municipal Court and a "Community Conversation" about getting involved and finding meaning through service, heled at the Bethlehem Inn and hosted by the Interfaith Network of Central Oregon.