Last year, the Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland held its 34th Annual Free Holistic Health Fair. About 46 percent of the East Bay community that attended the event did not have health care insurance.

This year, the church campus and Family Life Center is expected to again draw a large crowd at the 35th installment of the free fair scheduled for this Saturday, Aug. 18.

According to Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly, former chair of the Allen Temple health education committee, the reason why the church continues to have the fair every year is because there is a huge need for health services in East Oakland.

"I think they appreciate, a diverse community can come together for the screenings," Evers-Manly said. "We just don't screen them; we get them what they need."

The Allen Temple Health Education Ministry - with the help from many local organizations - will offer more than $1,000 worth of free prevention screenings at the health fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Allen Temple is located at 8501 International Blvd. in Oakland.

The partnership between the church and local organizations is an attempt by both sides to emphasize physical fitness, address adult and childhood obesity and healthy eating in the community.

"Getting individuals to partner agencies is really important," Evers-Manly said. "We've been able to do these things in a timely manner."

Some of the health care screenings that people can participate in include: diabetes, HIV/AIDS, blood pressure, cholesterol and prostate cancer.

In addition, the public also can receive foot, dental, eye and breast examinations throughout the day while enjoying from music, free clothes, haircuts, raffles and free food courtesy of the Food Bank.

"Eye screenings are always very popular," Evers-Manly said. "Normally, 1,000 to 3,000 people come to the event. Last year, 237 people participated in the free lunch service."

Other resources available at this one-day event are free legal advice/counseling, nutrition information, information on health and health awareness, early detection and treatment of disease and on assistance programs, and free full sports physicals approved by the Oakland Unified School District.

More than 100 organizations will be on hand to distribute resources and information at different booths. Due to the tough economic climate, Evers-Manly said the health fair provides the perfect opportunity for an entire family to check the status of their health for free.

"The ministry really reaches out to all of our brothers and sisters," she said. "We get a rate of 47 people an hour. Of our visitors, 64 percent are female and 36 percent are male. As for the ages of the participants, it ranges from 2 to 92."

For more information, contact the Allen Temple Health Education Committee at ATBCHealthFair@yahoo.com or call (510) 534-8910.

If You Go

Free Holistic Health Fair

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 

Where: 8501 International Blvd. in Oakland