Ptarmigan Pediatrics health fair continues to grow

WASILLA—Friday was a great day in the Valley to try and find a way to cool off. For those attending the third annual Ptarmigan Pediatrics Summer Health Fair, the dunk tank was a popular solution. The tank was just one of many activities designed to educate and entertain as a large part of the parking complex looked more like a carnival.

Office staff closed the shop to business on Friday opting instead to open doors to three-dozen vendors offering everything from immunizations to snow cones and hot dogs, to animal adoption. Attending parents were welcomed to educate themselves on programs and services available across the Mat-Su and Southcentral. Kids spent the afternoon enclosing themselves in giant bubbles, playing on giant inflatables and romping in the bounce house.

Everyone enjoyed hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones and popcorn, and some parents and their kids took turns trying to sink each other in the dunk tank which remained busy throughout the day. Excel Gymnastics brought a crew to wow the crowd with their athleticism.

Ptarmigan Pediatric staffers were on-hand and excited to share information on the planned opening of its new facility Ptarmigan Connections, Alaska’s Center for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The new office complex was recently completed and will be located next to the existing facility on Seward Meridian Loop.

The Blood Bank of Alaska was on hand taking donations.

Those attending even had a chance to take home a new forever friend thanks to the Mat-Su Animal Shelter. By late afternoon, almost all of the adoptable animals—including turtles, chickens and hedgehogs, along with, of course, canines and felines—had new homes to go to.

While the dunk tank provided an opportunity to cool off from the mid 70’s heat, it also had another purpose—raising funds for Children’s Place. The non-profit, Wasilla-based organization is in the middle of a $350,000 fundraiser to construct a larger building to provide intervention for Valley children impacted by abuse or neglect. While office staff volunteered to get wet, plenty of those attending were happy to make a donation for a chance to take the plunge.

Bobbi Kousoulos, overall event coordinator, said the event continues to draw larger crowds each year and Friday was no exception. Although final numbers weren’t available by press deadline, this year’s fair was expected to surpass the more than 600 that attended last year’s.

Contact reporter Chris Ford at 352-2270 or chris.ford@frontiersman.com